I laid back on the pillow, closed my eyes and waited. But nothing happened. It was very late--past midnight-- so why was sleep eluding me? I felt physically exhausted, but my mind hadn't slowed down one bit.
I guess it's because yesterday was an interesting and hectic day. Really hectic. I had lots of business-related tasks to accomplish and "Murphy's Law" was in full effect all day long. If it seemed it could, it did go wrong. Daily Cup family, I'm telling you, I had to put out one fire after another. It got so bad, it was almost comical!
Have you ever had a day like that?
Things that never go haywire... I mean ne-ver... did yesterday. It was literally a rough day at the office. One assignment proved so cumbersome, it just wore me down and made me feel like giving up on it altogether. "Do I really want to do this?" I asked myself.
Finally, at about two o’clock in the morning, I accepted the fact that counting sheep wasn't working, so I needed a word from the Shepherd. I reached over and slid my Bible off my nightstand. When I picked it up, the pages fell open to 1 Kings 18, which I have read on many occasions. But, for some reason, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to read it again.
So I did.
Verses 3 and 4 of that passage focus on Obadiah, the man who was in charge of King Ahab's house. Remarkably, although Obadiah worked for a wicked ruler, his loyalty was to the only true and living God of Israel.
So while Ahab and Jezebel, the Bonnie and Clyde-esque couple, were killing off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah was busy hiding the men of God in caves, feeding them bread, and giving them water to drink.
As I sat pondering this Bible story, the Lord dealt with me about Obadiah, whose name means "servant of Yahweh" or "worshipper of Yahweh.” I thought about how his unique position, though uncomfortable and dangerous, made him a candidate to be used by God. Because Obadiah saw things from the vantage point of an insider, he knew exactly how to stage a coup, and protect the prophets of God from slaughter. Look at God's providence at work here!
Wow, I thought to myself. I had never really viewed the story from that perspective.
The Holy Spirit was showing me the importance of strategically aligning ourselves with God to carry out special missions on His behalf. That means staying in position, and not moving from our place of destiny, even when it gets hard or uncomfortable.
"Lord, help me stay in my place," I prayed silently as I meditated on that revelation about Obadiah. Shortly thereafter, I felt God's peace come over me and I knew abandoning my assignment was not an option.
I wonder. Is there an assignment, place, or position you feel like walking away from that God just might want you to remain tied to? If you get still in His presence, you just may be surprised by the answer.
Too often, we turn on our heels and run based on impulses, feelings, and personal desires. I think a good nickname for God's people is "Runaway Bride," because He can't get us to be still long enough to do what He wants to do through us.
We don't always think about it, but the Lord, by divine design, places us in industries, ministries, and regions for specific purposes. If we are not in tune with Him, we will ditch our God-ordained assignment and do what we prefer, but we won't be in line with God’s will.
Before we begin making plans to relocate, retire, resign, or redefine our lives, we need to petition God for clarity. He just might be whispering, "Be still. I know it's rough, but you're in my will."
That's why I'm passing the cup I've been drinking from, over to you. It has some "stick and stay" stirred in it, so go ahead and swallow it down. When you drink the contents of your cup of inspiration today, you will be encouraged to stay in the place God put you... even if you feel like you might want to quit.
Sure, there are times when God calls us to move on from something that was only intended for a season. In those cases, He will stir our nest and make it nearly impossible to stay! Trust me, I know from experience. But then, there are times when we, of our own accord, decide we have had enough. That's when we mess up God's plan and our lives. I know that from firsthand experience, too.
So I admonish you to pray the prayer I prayed in the wee hours of the morning. "Lord, help me stay in my place." Not only will He give you the peace, strength, and help you need. But God will also favor you as long as you remain in the center of His will.
Lord, thank You for this word. I praise You for reminding me that everyday won’t be easy even when I’m walking in my purpose. Please give me strength to stay in my place when I feel tempted to walk away. And increase my willingness to do whatever I must do to fulfill Your will for my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, empower, and encourage you!
