Throughout 2019 we have looked at “52 Great Prayers to Pray.” The final prayer that I want to impart to you is a prayer of availability: praying and committing to be available to God for His purposes. One of the incredible parts of the Christmas story was the availability of Mary to be used by God in such an incredible way. We too need to realize that God wants to use us in an incredible way. Not in the same way, of course, but in a unique and special way. God wants to use us to be a blessing to others. Are we willing? Are we available? Join me in praying, “God I am willing and I am available. Use me as you wish.”
More important than our ability is our availability. God will use our gifts and talents and abilities but they are unuseful if we are unavailable. In the sports world you hear all the time that the #1 ability is availability. If an athlete is always injured, sick, or mentally not in the game, they will be useless to the team. Being available when called on is key. As members of God’s team it is similar; we need to pray and commit to be available to God to fulfill His purposes.
Consider the examples we read in the bible of ordinary people used by God in extraordinary ways:
- The Virgin Mary to carry the Redeemer of mankind.
- Stuttering Moses as God’s mouthpiece to Pharaoh.
- Impulsive Peter to found the Church.
- Christian-killer Paul to become the greatest missionary of Christianity.
- David the shepherd boy to wipe out the giant Goliath and the Philistines.
- Common men to become the first (uncommon) disciples.
- Bottom-dweller shepherds to hear the angelic message.
- A dirty manger and stable to become the palace of the King.
- A boy with a small lunch that was used to feed 5,000.
God takes common people and uses them in uncommon ways. He uses the ordinary in extraordinary ways. And He wants to use you and me to fulfill His purposes in special ways. But… we need to be available. Are you available?
Let’s all pray regularly: “God, I’m available for you to use me in any way you desire. Where I’m unavailable, make me available. I want to be used. I want to be available to be used by You. I want to be a contributor and not just a consumer. Use me and make me useable, for Your glory. Amen.”