Livin Lively

By Peggy Lively

Last summer when our family was vacationing in Destin, Florida, we went to a large water park one day. As we waited in line for one of the slides, a recorded message played over a loud speaker listing all the rules and requirements for being able to ride this particular slide. At the end of the message, the last requirement was, “In order to participate in this activity you must be in perfect health.” I laughed, and thought surely I hadn’t heard that correctly. Then I heard it again, and when we got to the top of the slide it was also printed and posted with all the rules next to the slide. It read, “In order to participate in this activity, you must be in perfect health.” Perfect health? That is a pretty steep requirement for a water slide. What was even more amazing (or amusing) was the number of people that were standing in this line…including myself. In reality, none of us should have been standing in that line. Many of us may be in good health, or even excellent health, but certainly not perfect health.

This served as a reminder to me that even God does not require us to be perfect to be used by Him. I am so thankful that I do not have to be in perfect Spiritual health in order to participate in His activities. He welcomes and chooses the weak and foolish things of this world to bring Him glory. “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (I Corinthians 1:27)

What an honor it is to be able to serve Him. Sometimes when God calls us to minister in His name, we don’t feel equipped or qualified to do what He asks. But in order to walk in obedience, it is important that we trust and follow Him. We may not understand his reasons or even approve of His choice of us, but we must believe that He knows what He is doing. He tells us that He chooses the weak and foolish things of this world for His service. I don’t know about you, but that qualifies me. If others question your ability or your calling by God, remind them that these are the ones He uses.

King Saul questioned David’s ability to fight Goliath. He told David, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” (I Samuel 17:33) But David had full confidence in God to deliver him saying, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” (I Samuel 17:37) Then he moved forward in obedience and victory.

Perfection is not required, just faith in a powerful God that can work the miraculous through you. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (II Corinthians 12:9)