ORDINARY PEOPLE

“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (James 5:17)

James gave us good advice, for he taught: “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed” (James 5:16). And he continued, “The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man (and, of course, a woman) can accomplish much”. Indeed it can. The analogy James used was the Prophet Elijah. An ordinary man who RESPONDED as God led.

Prayer is applied faith. If you didn’t have faith in God you would not pray, and Jesus taught that a very tiny faith accomplishes much. He said, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). The direct context deals with demonic possession. The disciples were shaken because they could not cast one out and Jesus informed them that the key to answered prayer is faith. We have to TRUST in the One who answers prayer.

There is a danger here. We might conclude that we have to somehow be “powerful” in some way for prayer to be answered. There might be an assumption that we have to be a “Super-Christian”, and down inside, we know we’re not. That’s why I’m so pleased that the Lord chose bumbling, ordinary, rather petty, uneducated and somewhat confused men to be His original apostles. If we can’t do it, neither could they, and that’s the wonder of answered prayer.

It isn’t that WE do – anything – in the Christian life. Jesus has did it all. It isn’t our faith or our prayers that result in answered prayer. It’s “HIM who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20), “according to the power that works within us”. His power, His faith, His prayer; it’s Him, and He can do it all.

The work is His but amazingly, He lets us be a part of it. It’s like we are the child who is lifted high by their father. The child might shout, “Look at me, Daddy, I’m tall.” But that’s not true. It’s actually the father who holds the child high (and safe) in his arms of love. Just like God holds you and me. And He answers our prayers.

Charles Spurgeon said, “A friend gives me a check which reads: ‘Pay to the order of C.H. Spurgeon the sum of ten pounds.’ His name is good and his bank is good, but I get nothing from his kindness until I put my own name on the back of the check… I must affix my own name. Even so, each one must personally accept, adopt and endorse the promise of God by his own individual faith, or he will derive no benefit from it… We must BELIEVE THE PROMISE each one for himself, and declare we know it to be true.” When God leads in prayer, it is important to respond in faith. We must trust in Him.

The Lord not only used ordinary people to become His apostles, but He does the same in choosing all His people. There’s something very PLAIN about Abraham and many of the other Old Testament characters. Not all of them were like that, however, for He went out of His way to choose people from many walks of life.

Paul was an exceptional man and so was Moses, but there was also an anger and an edge to both of them – they needed to become men of God. Both had been people of action and God changed them. Instead of men who just acted, they became men who first prayed and THEN acted in God’s will. They were the same men but their priorities were renewed and so were their hearts.

And then there was Elijah. Here was this strange, wonderful man of God. I see him as a lanky, rough man, with a wild beard and fierce eyes. He could stare down a king and he often did just that. And yet somehow there was also a little boy in his heart, who became afraid and ran at a threat from a king’s wife.

“Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17 – King James Version). He was an ordinary man, like Gideon, like the apostles, like you and me. This was a guy with hopes, dreams, concerns – he had everything that makes us human. He got afraid and wanted to love and be loved. But he loved the Lord first.

I have a cut stone on my desk that was given to me by my wife Genevieve, during the time we were engaged to be married, and it means a great deal. It has the following words on it: “Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.” I understand fully that I am ordinary but God has called and when He leads, we must go. He takes ordinary people and makes us able to act – for Him.

Someone recently called me a “driven man” which was a surprise, because I still see myself as the lazy teenager who would sleep until 2 PM if possible, do no chores – ever, and daydream through class. Certainly not someone to be sent by God, but the reality is: NONE of us qualify. Like Elijah, we’re only people. The difference is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). What we CANNOT do, and what many WILL NOT do, Christ will accomplish in and through ordinary people like you and me.

Matthew 28:19 says we are to "go" into all the world and make disciples, but doing that is difficult for most. Except that we are not alone. We are NEVER alone for Jesus Christ is with us and in us, just as He was (and is) with those named in Scripture. He may send you to your neighbor, someone at work, or someplace else. But He is with you.

It is reported that “doubting” Thomas (John 20:24-25) went all the way to India, with the Gospel (good news) of our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthias (Acts 1:26), that obscure man who was voted in to take the place of Judas Iscariot as one of the 12-Apostles, went to Ethiopia and led many to Christ. Paul was the first missionary to heathen Europe. Peter, that humble fisherman, went to Rome, as did Paul. And the rest of them, these lowly, mostly uneducated people, went amazing distances and did wonderful things as led by our Lord.

Don't be afraid of being ordinary. We all are – the ones who know it and those who think otherwise. And yet Jesus Christ is WITH people just like you and me.

Father, we are willing to trust in You – as You lead, we will follow. For we know that You will see us through. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.


Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org



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