Flawed, still called

For the 28 NFL teams no longer playing, focus has already shifted from the triumphs and failures of the 2010 season to fresh hope in 2011.  Over the next couple of months, dozens of finely tuned athletes will train harder than they've ever had to before, desperate to impress a host of scouts and coaches looking for a unique package of speed, power, strength, and positional skill.  From playground competition to professional collaboration, it is in our best interest to surround ourselves with the best and the brightest.  What if God worked this way?  What if God chose us based on our ability to meet certain criteria or a particular skill set?   Where would that leave the majority of us?  Sometimes I think we'd rather have it that way.  Would take some of the pressure off, wouldn't it?  



The new year has prompted another start to reading through the Bible beginning in Genesis.  Genesis tells the story of man's beginning, but more importantly to the ancient Israelites, it tells the story of their origin and heritage.  Thirty-some chapters in and I'm noticing a theme.  God, though he is all knowing, does a pretty poor job of researching his picks.  Certainly, the chosen on whom he plans to build a great nation can't be the best he can find.  Though somehow, despite his apparent inability to choose and develop the best of his creation, his plans are always successful.    Now Abraham's faith was often impressive.  However, where was that great faith which allowed him to trust God's promise to make him the father of a great nation even in his old age and that took him up the mountain with Isaac as his sacrifice when he lied about his wife to protect his own skin, twice?  "Honey, if you really love me you'll tell no one that you are my wife.  They may want to take you home and have their way with you, but... thanks sweety."  Can't imagine that went over too well.  Nor did his faith in God's plan prevent him from 'planting his seed in other gardens,'  just in case.  Yet, God stuck with him.  His son Isaac lies about his wife as well.  He is deceived by both his wife and son and mistakenly gives his blessing to the wrong son, Jacob.  Jacob, whose name means trickster, takes every opportunity to live up to his name.  He tricks his brother, lies to his father, and schemes against his father-in-law.  His own family would make for an entertaining episode on Jerry Springer.  His two wives are constantly trying to one up the other.  Jacob just plays along.  His favorite son, Joseph, is hated by his brothers because of Jacob's special treatment toward him.  Joseph, in turn, enjoys that favoritism and isn't shy about flaunting it in front of his brothers.  He's the bratty brother that nobody likes.  And this is just the first half of the first book! 

What's amazing to me is not the mess of it all.  I've read enough history and watch enough current events to expect that.   What makes the story fascinating is not the inadequacies and flaws of the men involved, but God's unrelenting commitment to his plan that places these men at its center.  I've always enjoy a good super hero flick.  Whether its the a result of the superpowers, or the crazy source of weoponry, super heroes can do what I only wish I could do.  Sometimes we tend to idealize great men of God in the same way.   It makes us feel safer.  'I wish I could serve God in that way, but I'm not....'   The thing is with these heroes of the Bible, is that they're not.  But their God is.  And that same God who called Abraham, Moses, David, and Paul is calling on us to act on his behalf today.  I'm flawed and my inadequacies are often obvious.  But I'm not really sure God cares.  When the thousands were following Jesus to hear him teach, the disciples told Jesus to send them home so that everyone could eat.  How did Jesus respond?  "Stand back boys, I'm about to do something that's going to blow your mind!"  No!  He tells them to feed them.  Feed them?  Doesn't Jesus know that they are completely inadequate to do that?  Of course he does, but he asks them to do it anyway.  In this New Year, I'm realizing that I will never be what all that I should be.  I can't even keep the simplest of resolutions.  But despite of myself, I can do what I God is asking of me, not because of who I am, but because of who He is.