Bring It On!

When I played sports on a more regular basis - days before aches and pains lasted much longer than I think they should - I was very, very competitive. I hated to lose more than I loved to win. I didn't - actually I couldn't - do anything for "fun." And if I won I wanted to win from the best. I wanted my opponent's best. If I found out that they only gave me even 99% instead of 100% it would infuriate me!

I must say that I was gracious when we started. I always wished my opponent well. . .well, sort of. When my opponent was as arrogant and as cocky as I was that would get under my skin. . .waayyyyy under my skin. Then, my attituded changed and it was on - Bring it on!!

I'm not that way anymore. I still love to win, but I'm a lot more gracious and I smile and laugh a lot more when I play games. But I still want to do my best and I still expect my opponent's best.

God's like that - whoooaaaa, wait a minute, I'm not saying God is like me :) - I'm saying God wants our best. He wants us to bring our best to Him, not to compete with God, but to be used by God. In Exodus 35 God tells us about Moses going to the people and asking for their best - gold, linen, fabric, even their skills - for the tabernacle.

It's pretty cool that when everyone steps up and brings their best to God and GIVES IT TO HIM to be used as HE wishes there is more than enough. Check out Exodus 36:4-5 -

4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."

I believe that when we all bring our best to God - whatever it is. . .financial resources, gifts, abilities, passions, experiences, physical resources - we will have more than enough to do what God calls us to do.

So what's this have to do with being in the valley? Hhhmmmm. . . Let's see - even if I'm in the valley I have something to contribute to the Kingdom. If I bring my best - even if it's a little bit - God can still use it? No matter what it is? And if I focus on serving God and being used by Him rather than focusing me and my problems I will experience a fresh presence of God?

Don't know about you, but this valley thing can definitely get in my way of bringing my best to God to be used by Him. What about you? What CAN you bring? What DO you have that He can use? Where IS your focus?

Only you can answer these questions. He's waiting. . .so BRING IT ON!

Bringing what I have,
Mike