God, You Do It!

In the Spring of 2000, I made the decision go back to school. There was so much more to going back to school than just the decision, though. First, I had to be accepted into school. I filled out the application sheet, sent forms to my references, requested grades from my undergraduate work and so much more. I told Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary everything but my blood type. (It’s A-). (Check)  

Second, once I was accepted into school, I had to find a way to pay. Graduate schools are expensive, so I looked and looked and finally found the Keesee Scholarship Foundation which gives assistance to students in Seminary. My home church, Cross Road Baptist, even had money for books for church members who were going to Seminary. (Check, Check)

Third, once I was officially a student, I had to find a friend to live with and place to live. Fortunately, David, one of my friends from college, was in the same situation I was, so we decided to share an apartment. (Check, Check, Check) 

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. God is in complete control of life. As long as we are obedient to Him, God will guide us into His perfect plan. Sometimes, His perfect plan is filled with potholes and road blocks. Other times, we are led mysteriously to dead-end roads. The world may say, “See where your God led you? Helpless. Broke. (No Joke) God works on His timetable, His bank account and His notoriety, however. When we follow God, we serve an infinite Deity who demands submission to His will and praise for His plan. 

The apartment complex we found was originally a cotton mill. Built in 1903, it had recently been renovated into apartments. It was located exactly one mile away from campus. The complex had only one apartment available. We looked at the apartment, and both said, “We’ll take it!” It was a 2-bedroom unit. (Check, Check, Check, Check) 

In John 18, Jesus is arrested and is taken before Annas, formally the High Priest. Annas sends him to Caiaphus, the current High Priest who, in turn, sends Jesus to Pilate, who sentences Him to death. In just this one chapter in John we see how God uses three men who are non-believers to accomplish His Salvation Plan for all mankind. Who else could have done this? No one but God. 

Story after story, verse after verse, we see God imploring Believers to be obedient to His will. Paul writes, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross.” Here, Paul reminds the churches of the deity of Jesus, using Christ as the prime example of One who followed the Lord’s Will. 

Even in the Old Testament, we see God’s plan. Zechariah encourages Zerubbabel to finish his work on the temple. Zerubbabel is downtrodden and disillusioned, but God is not finished with him yet! An angel comes to him, and reminds, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” this great work will be completed. The temple will be rebuilt, but it will not be a result of man’s strength or effort. It will occur only because the Lord sovereignly ordains it. Zechariah had to be reminded (again and again) that God is overseeing every intricate detail of his life. Sometimes, we all need to be reminded of this, too!

In Children’s Choir at church, we learned a special song that resounds in my mind even today. It went something like this, “God’s still working on me. He made the moon and the stars, Jupiter and Mars. God’s still working on me.” Simple. To the point. God has a plan. Sometimes, however, it is difficult for us to take our desires away, and simply say as Jesus said,  “Not My Will, but Yours be done.” Essentially, Jesus accomplished what we could not. He orchestrated a perfect, spotless, and sinless substitute for all mankind. As a result, the church resounds in praise and worship. is in complete control of this universe. He will do it. He is doing it. He has done it. He will continue to do it. The key is understanding that it is not by our power that the universe is held together. As a church, let’s allow God to lead, and all turn to God and resound, “God, You do it.”