July 29, 2019

Available for God

By Peter Amsterdam

Audio length: 6:01
Download Audio (5.5MB)

In the last article I talked about being available to God and for God, and how we find joy, fulfillment, and happiness in such availability, as it aligns us with God’s will, reign, and Spirit.

I want to further explore the idea of being available for God, especially in light of our call to spread the gospel. As Christians, we are called to share the good news of salvation with others. Jesus commissioned His disciples with this task, and as His present-day disciples who love Him and follow Him, we are His agents, His representatives, appointed and anointed to help those who have not yet discovered how to connect with Him.

When we commit to being available for God, we open the door for Him to lead us to situations where we can share His love and message. Since doing so is Christ’s commission to us, making ourselves available for this purpose should be a high priority for each of us. We should be intentional about making ourselves available for the Lord, as whatever our intention is gets our attention. When we’re intentional about being God’s instrument, we give thought to how we can broaden the opportunities for Him to put us in the path of others in need. We’ll pray about how to be a channel of His love and truth. We’ll seek out circumstances in which we can be His mouthpiece, His example, His touch in someone’s life. We’ll be conscious of not letting potential chances to reach out to others pass us by.

If we set our minds to encouraging and lifting up others, then we’ll be looking for opportunities to say hello to someone, to start a conversation, to share a kind word, to bring the Lord into the picture whenever we can. When we’ve committed to being available for the Holy Spirit’s purpose, and we’ve made it a goal in our heart and mind, then we are more apt to see and act on opportunities which present themselves. Even if they come at inopportune times, we’ll be more likely to recognize them and take action.

Of course, when we determine to make ourselves available for God to use for His purpose, it’s possible that the opportunities He brings our way will fall outside of our comfort zone. They may well involve stepping out, stretching, changing, taking risks—all of which require faith and courage. But it’s well worth it to take such steps, as when we do, God is able to use us for His purpose and glory.

We may or may not see the visible fruit of doing what God has shown us to do, but that’s not really our business. What counts is that we’re available for Him to guide and direct in ways that help bring about His will in the lives of those He’s trying to reach with His love and salvation.

What He leads us to do may seem insignificant, but in His eyes it’s valuable. It might be just His first whisper to someone, or maybe one action in a long line of events in someone’s life that He is using to draw them to Him. Perhaps we are watering where another available believer already planted. Our words of hope and encouragement, our helping hand, that kindness we show, the truth we share, can be God’s way to show them that He loves them.

When we’re intentional about being available both to and for the Lord, there are all kinds of opportunities to allow God’s light to shine through us. When we’re in communion with Him, absorbing His Word, hearing His voice, and applying what He’s showing and teaching us, then our daily lives will glow with the warmth and light of His love and reflect the Spirit of God. When we live with integrity, keep our word, show sympathy to those in need, live Christian values, give to our community, show love and concern for others, and exhibit other Christlike attributes and attitudes, it influences others. Our lives speak and teach.

We may not always be in a position to share the gospel in an evangelistic situation, but we can be purposeful about letting our lives be a display for the fruits of the Spirit and the benefits of being a follower of Jesus; an example of good decisions based on godly principles—love, unselfishness, faithfulness, and generosity. Letting God’s light shine through us is being available for God. It’s living in a manner that reflects His love and truth and the benefits of believing in Him, so that others can catch a glimpse of Him and His love.

Truly living a life that reflects God’s love, truth, and principles calls for making oneself available both to God and for Him. It calls for doing so intentionally. When availability is a hallmark of our relationship with the Lord, we put ourselves in a position for His will to be accomplished through us. We become vehicles for His love, mercy, grace, and salvation to touch others. We live in a manner that takes us beyond living for our own purposes and puts us in a position to live in conjunction with God’s purpose. As the old saying goes, “The best ability is availability,” and this is especially true when applied to being available to and for the Lord.

Originally published January 2015. Adapted and republished July 2019.
Read by Jon Marc.

Posted in: audio, discipleship, following god, mission, peter amsterdam, relationship with the lord, responsibility, yieldedness