Have you ever been discouraged by the routines of life? Every day seems to be the same. Go to work, come home, eat, sleep, etc. Some people find it hard to keep going when nothing new seems to be happening.
As believers, we need to realize how God works. Many times He moves behind the scenes in unexpected ways. Look at the life of Christ for an example.
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve — designating them apostles — that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Mark 3:13-19
There were many times that Jesus needed to be alone. He had to make the allowance to spend quality time with the Father. Throughout His ministry, we see how the Lord would find a quiet place to pray.
That’s how Jesus was able to do all that He did. He said that He saw it first in the Father’s presence. Then He went out and did what He knew that the Father was already accomplishing.
Choosing His twelve disciples was no different. When it came time to call the Twelve to a higher walk with Him, Jesus went up on a mountainside. He had to get away from the city with all of its distractions.
He did this in order to distance Himself from the crowds. His desire was that there be no politics or favoritism, only the Father’s will.
I’m sure, to the casual observer and maybe even to the disciples, it looked like any other ordinary day. Jesus went up on the side of a mountain to pray. They were used to seeing this in His ministry. Little did they know that this prayer time was going to be life-changing.
All they could see was that they were walking with the Lord – day after day and week after week. I’m sure that even the ministry of Jesus got into a daily rhythm. The crowds, the miracles, teaching, eating and sleeping. To the disciples, this might have started out being a day just like any other.
Then the disciples received the call to climb the mountain that day. They probably didn’t even realize that with each step they were heading to new heights in the Lord. They were now rising above their old lives. This calling was bringing them to a new level.
Don’t ever get stuck in the hopelessness of the daily grind. The Lord has greater plans for you than simply spinning your wheels. Whether you know it or not, the Holy Spirit is at work in the background; preparing you for what’s to come.
In our walk with Christ, we should be open and ready to climb each new mountain of faith. We must be found waiting on the Lord to hear a higher call to a new level in Him. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly when or where it will arrive. It usually happens when we least expect it.
That’s why we should never fall into the trap of complacency. God is always at work to do something new in us. Keep the fire of your spirit burning and ready for each new calling.
Always start each new day in the Lord’s presence. Approach His throne with eagerness and expectancy. In that way, you will be ready to walk up that mountain to see a new work of grace performed in your life when the time is right.
Open your heart to the Lord today. Come before Him with an earnest desire to hear His Word to you. After all, today might be the day that you see His hand at work in a new way.
Question: What were the events surrounding the last great work the Lord did in your life?
© 2018 Nick Zaccardi
The Spirit and the Word 