“Give me love that leads the way,/ The faith that nothing can dismay,/ The hope no disappointments tire,/ The passion that will burn like fire,/ Let me not sink to be a clod:/ Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.”- Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)
In his Introduction to What If . . . God Has Other Plans?” Charles Swindoll notes his intrigue for significant questions. Many years ago, Pastor Swindoll adds, he learned that it’s better to ask the right questions than pretend you know all the right answers. Because, he states, questions:
- make us search longer, think harder, and probe deeper
- escort us through long-closed mental doors
- urge us to deal with often troublesome life issues we rarely address
Thus, in this book, Charles (Chuck) Swindoll asks What if . . .? questions about complicated issues we all face in one form or another. Consequently, Chapter 1 (“What If . . . God Chooses You to do Something Great?”), Pastor Swindoll applies God’s Word to times when we feel inadequate.
Growing up in beautiful northern Ireland, Amy Carmichael felt so unattractive that she avoided having her picture taken. Furthermore, as a teenager she developed a lifelong degenerative nerve disease. And, that, in turn, led to a serious battle with arthritis that lasted her lifetime.
However, Amy wound up serving for fifty-six years as a missionary at the southern tip of India. There she rescued and ministered to more than one thousand victims caught in the grip of human trafficking. Also, she published thirty-five books. But, Amy requested that not one of those books bear her name. Finally, upon her death, those she rescued placed a birdbath over her unmarked grave.
In conclusion, Charles notes, perhaps at some point in your life you systematically talked yourself out of anything great God desired to do through you. Therefore, Pastor Swindoll asks, every time you look in the mirror, do you convince yourself God has no great plans for you? But what if God does? Are you willing to respond in faith?
Today’s question: What Bible verses enable you to say, with Amy, give me love that leads the way? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Hall of Fame candidates for greatness?
