"Gain or No Gain"

"And render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord." (Psalms 79:12) Yes, we are a tool in the hand of a Mighty God! Do you expect something else to happen? Really? What if that's not what God has in mind? We really do not get to choose how God will use our life, or in what manner we will be used; as far as we know, we could be torn to pieces and left on the side of the road. But if that's what God allows, He allows it for His perfect purpose, whatever or for whomever that might be meant for. As I look back upon my life, there are times when I doubted why God would use me, thinking, What good am I to God? It's really not about how good or bad we are, not that we can change anything we have done; it's about how great God is and the fact that no matter what we have done, God can still do something great in us. The title this morning is one of those 'just so happens' kind of thoughts, like the one where you say, It really doesn't matter what, I will still follow Jesus! Even if I feel as though my life is worthless, I still have a life to look forward to after this! Right about now, you must be wondering what if anything this has to do with the verse above, right? Well, we are still on the revenging thing, so why not talk about what really matters: God's purpose for our lives! Just because our life is reproached does not mean God's not using us for His glory; as far as we know, maybe it's all about shinning where God has you. You can't expect God to bless you later if you don't feel blessed where you're at, in what ever you are in. One day I will be there, is not part of the journey; the journey is now, right where you're at! So, which one is it? Do we show up? Or do we stay where we are at? I'm confused! I'm sorry, I was being sarcastic. Do you remember the turtle and the wizard; the wizard was a lizard, but it was pretty much all about the turtle. The turtle always wanted to be something else, but it never quite worked out the way he thought it would. We need to just be expectant! No matter where we are or how God uses us, just expect God to show up in our situation...
"When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the LORD, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them. I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert -cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means -that it is the LORD who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it." (Isaiah 41:17-20) NLT