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Zookeepers Ministries

When God Calls: Close Encounter

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“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11:8, NIV

When I was seventeen God whispered my name, and I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. As a young person I didn’t find it hard to walk the aisle of that small country church and trust God with my eternity, so why as an adult is it sometimes difficult to trust Him with my days?

This week we’ll look at Abraham’s initial encounter with God, examine God’s call in his life, and discover some truths that we can apply to the Lord’s call in our own lives—even in the everyday.

 

Close Encounter

“The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.” 

Acts 7:2, NIV

UFOIn the 1977 science fiction movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Roy Neary, an Indiana electrical lineman, is called out to investigate a power outage. In a blanket of darkness, his truck stalls, and a bright light lands on top of it. From this point in the story, Roy’s ordinary life is radically changed. He refuses to listen to others as they try to explain away his bizarre encounter, and he sets out in pursuit of the truth about UFOs. In his quest, he forfeits his family and life as he knows it.

Comparing Abram’s encounter with God to a fictional tale of a man’s encounter with aliens may seem a bit extreme, but please don’t miss my point: any time we encounter the God of glory, we are forever changed. Roy Neary was prepared to give up everything in his search for truth. Are we?

Abram was.

Because God chose Abram as the father of our faith, one might assume he had an extraordinary relationship with God. Although the facts of Abram’s life before his close encounter with God are sketchy, Scripture reveals that he was a Chaldean living in Ur, a city in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). Due to its location at the mouth of the Euphrates River, Ur was a self-sufficient trade city, rich in the arts, advanced in science and technology, and the area’s political and religious capital.

AbrahamThe Hebrew verb that forms the base of the word Ur means to be light, to shine. Known as the “Moon City,” the progressive city of Ur did stand out in this wilderness area; however, it was a dark place—a pagan place. Many gods were worshipped in Ur, mainly the moon god, Sin, and Ur was known for the manufacture of idols. Historical accounts suggest that Abram’s father, Terah, was an idol maker. Whether that is true or not, Joshua 24:2 states that Terah and Abram’s relatives worshipped other gods.

Due to the pagan culture that surrounded Abram, we can assume he was not seeking God. However, God was seeking him. In the midst of Abram’s ordinary day, God showed up in all of his glory and interrupted Abram’s usual routine.

Wouldn’t you love to have heard the conversation in Terah’s household that evening? Sometimes our families can be the greatest hindrance to our decisions to follow God’s call for our lives. Even Jesus’s brothers doubted His summons to be the Savior of the world. When facing the opposition of those we love most, we’ll need more than courage to follow through—we’ll need the faith of Abram, who left all that he knew for an unknown land based on the word of his unproven God.

Remember, Abram’s faith walk began with a single step. Yours will too.

Step out.

Your traveling companion,

Starr

When God Calls: I Choose You

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“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11:8, NIV

When I was seventeen God whispered my name, and I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. As a young person I didn’t find it hard to walk the aisle of that small country church and trust God with my eternity, so why as an adult is it sometimes difficult to trust Him with my days?

This week we’ll look at Abraham’s initial encounter with God, examine God’s call in his life, and discover some truths that we can apply to the Lord’s call in our own lives—even in the everyday.

 

I Choose You

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

John 15:16, NIV

Red_Rover,_wikimedia“Red Rover, Red Rover, send Starr right over!”

Perhaps you too have played the game of Red Rover on the school playground. If not, I’m sure you can relate to the desire to be chosen for a team. As a child, hearing my name called meant that others saw me as an asset to their team and not a liability. But above all, it meant I wasn’t going to suffer the embarrassment of being the last one chosen.

All of us want to know that our lives matter. Today’s text reveals that we matter to God and that He chooses us to accomplish specific tasks that have eternal value. Ephesians 2:10 states that God created us “to do good works”—works that He assigned prior to calling us. Our hearts long to experience those works and find fulfillment in the midst of them. Foot_of_cross

In a race, all of the runners begin at the same point—the starting line. In the believer’s life, the starting line is found at the foot of the cross. It is there, with a call to salvation, that God invites us to believe in Him (John 3:16). He follows that with a call to fellowship; He invites us to draw close to Him and remain in His presence (John 15:5). Finally, He initiates our call to serve, to partner with Him in numerous and varied tasks. Everyone’s starting line is the same, as is our final destination, but the tasks God lays out for us are specific and multifaceted, tailored to our personalities and our giftedness (1 Peter 4:10).

Most believers want to be used by God, but when He calls, are we ready to partner with Him? Or do we have our own agendas in mind?

Abraham_s_callGod’s Word tells us that “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV). Can you wrap your mind around the fact that God wants to use you to accomplish His purposes on the earth? When His eyes roam the earth seeking someone for a specific task, will He zero in on you—on me? Are our hearts fully committed to Him?

Tomorrow we’ll visit Ur and look on as Abram encounters the God of glory. In the meantime, consider the following question: When God calls me, how do I respond?

  • Yes, Lord, but I need to serve where I’m comfortable.
  • Not sure, Lord, but give me the details, and I’ll get back with You.
  • Yes, Lord, I’ll go, but can I drive?
  • Yes Lord, You lead, and I’ll follow.

Your traveling companion,

Starr

Let It Shine!: Carry the Light

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“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” 

The words of this children’s gospel song, written in 1920 by Avis Burgeson Christiansen, are simple and their message far reaching. What child hasn’t sung it? What adult doesn’t remember it?

But the more important question: do we hold true to its mission?

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

Matthew 5:16, KJV

 

Carry the Light

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

Psalm 119:105, KJV

Shine,_Day_5,_Photo_1The rain made it extremely difficult for me to see the dark and narrow two-lane road ahead. As I neared the intersection, a large semi-truck pulled onto the road in front of me. Normally, I don’t like to get behind a truck; it blocks my vision and slows me down. However, that night I was grateful. As the truck rounded every curve along the route, its taillights served as beacons in the darkness. The truck took the guesswork out of my journey, and my trek home was much easier. I simply had to follow.

Wherever Jesus went, crowds formed. People followed Him for various reasons: some sought His healing touch―others showed up to mock Him. Many arrived to hear Him teach―some moved in to trap Him. A number were simply curious―while others aligned themselves as His disciples when He said, “Come and follow me.”

Today, His invitation remains the same. Some people follow Him, but for many following is hard. They prefer to be out front blazing their Shine,_Day_5,_Photo_2own trail, casting their own vision, setting their own pace. We’re called to be light-bearers, but if we’re not following the Light ourselves, it’s impossible to lead the way for others. “Can a blind man lead a blind man?” Jesus asked. “Will they not both fall into the pit?”

(Luke 6:39, NIV).

A man traveled down a dark and lonely road one foggy night. After walking for some time without seeing a soul, he saw a light coming toward him in a zigzag fashion. As it got closer, he made out the shadowy figure of a man feeling his way through the darkness with a white cane. He staggered from one side of the road to the other. When the blind man reached his side, the traveler said, “Tell me why a blind man carries a light.” The man said, “I carry the light so that I won’t cause someone else to stumble in the darkness.”

Shine,_Day_5,_Photo_3The darkness of this world often restricts our vision, but God has given us everything we need to navigate life and share the Truth of the gospel. He’s given us a roadmap―His Word, and a light to illumine our path―His Holy Spirit. The Spirit serves as a beacon that illumines every bend in the road. He takes the guesswork out of our journey. We simply need to follow.

Do you carry the Light of Christ so that no one will stumble?

Jesus declared, “You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand―shine!

(Matthew 5:14-16, MSG).

Let it shine!

Until next time,

Starr