"Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." ~Isaiah 43:7
Tonight, I, along with some other leaders, went to a women's meeting that my pastor was speaking at. After my pastor was finished speaking, she called up, by name, all of the leaders that had come to hear and support her. . .except for me! I then had a conversation with the Lord in my mind that probably lasted a total of 30 seconds (aren't those amazing? One of the only ways I feel I can cheat time.) It went a little something like this:
Me: "Well, I'm not sure why, but I guess I'm not supposed to pray at this particular event. . .she must know I haven't spent as much time with the Lord as I wanted to spend today. . .Oh well."
Holy Spirit: "Stop waiting for her to call you by name. . .just go up there!
Me: (Getting super nervous right here. The kind of nervous feeling I get when the Lord is telling me to do something and I'm fighting it.) "But, Lord, certainly there is a reason that she singled me out!" (Even though she didn't mean to, it was so the Lord could teach me something)
Holy Spirit: "What might not happen if you don't go up there? Stop waiting for people to call you out. Let it be enough that I am calling you."
That last one really got me. His words, although they came in the form of a 30 second thought-conversation, pierced my soul. Needless to say, I went up there and prayed! The Lord gave me words, pictures, and things to impart. He wanted me up there because He had things for me to do. What if I hadn't listened?! (I'm not "tooting my own horn" here. God wanted to use me. I didn't do anything but obey, which is what I'm supposed to do...my "reasonable service"!)
When I got home, the Lord reminded me of all the times in the last couple of weeks where He has started speaking to me about what it really means to be called by His Name. The reason I've been looking and waiting for people to call me by my name (this happens often, not just this one instance) is because I've either not realized or forgotten that I've already been called by His Name, and that is always enough. I must know who I am in Him, that I am His daughter and have been given His Name, in order to be effective the way He wants. I am called by His Name. I have been created for His glory. I have been formed by Him. If all of these things are true (they are!!), I don't need to keep waiting around for people to notice me or call me out. And I don't need to get my grumpy pants on when they don't, because I've already been called and chosen! I just need to fix my eyes on Father to know what I need to do and where I need to go.
As long as I wait for people, I will not reach the fullness of who God has called me to be. I cannot afford to do that anymore.
