You Are Qualified
Obedient, moral, and faithful. These are the words the Bible uses to describe Abraham. If you grew up in church, you probably heard how Abraham was so obedient that he was willing to sacrifice his son. You heard about his spotless behavior and his unwavering trust in God.
Unfaithful, liar, and idolater. These words actually describe Abraham at different points in his life. When God meets and calls Abraham, he’s worshiping other gods.
What I love is that God doesn’t choose someone who has it all together. He doesn’t choose the best dressed or the one with straight A’s. He chooses the most unlikely people to change the world.
It gets better. Before Abraham does anything good or godly, God makes promises to give him land, to make his descendants into a vast nation, and to bless the world through him. The rest of the Old Testament is rooted in this promise of God to Abraham, a promise based not on Abraham’s commitment to God, but on God’s commitment to him.
God didn’t use Abraham because he was qualified or did a bunch of good things. Out of His kindness, God called Abraham and gave him an identity apart from what Abraham did or didn’t do. Abraham was qualified because of God, not because his actions were good.
After God calls Abraham, Abraham flees. He lies to others about his wife, saying she’s his sister. Instead of trusting God to provide a son, he takes his servant and fathers a son through her. Then he lies again about his wife.
So what’s the point? You don’t have to behave perfectly to be used by God. That’s the good news of Abraham’s story. Your current sin or past mistakes don’t disqualify you from being loved or used by God. God’s promises to us don’t rest on our performance or our faithfulness to God, but on His faithfulness to us. The identity He gives us isn’t affected by what we do. And God’s ability to use us isn’t blocked by our mistakes.
When the New Testament writers talk about Abraham, they don’t bring up his mistakes; they talk about how God used him. They call Abraham righteous and obedient, and they even say he never weakened in faith. The same is true of God. He never defines us by our sin. God doesn’t root our identity in our failures; it’s always in what He has done for us. God has anointed us, qualified us, and made us His instruments apart from anything we do.
He’s looking to use you in incredible ways. You’re qualified to minister Jesus and be used by Jesus in every way. And you’re one choice away from letting Christ in you express Himself through you to everyone around you.
Although we hear this, many of us still think our past or the labels we’ve been given prevent us from being used by God. But think of Rahab, who’s known in the Bible as “the prostitute.” This was her profession. She was used and abused by men every day. Dirty. Unwanted. Unloved.
One night she encounters spies who’ve come to check out her city. Out of desperation to be accepted and utilized, she hides the spies. If she’s found out, she’ll be killed. The men escape, take the land, and Rahab the prostitute finds a man who loves her.
Rahab’s descendant (almost thirty generations later) is our Savior, Jesus Christ. No longer known for what she did, Rahab is now known for the family she’s a part of. From the lineage of Rahab the prostitute came the flawless, perfect Son of God.
You’re not qualified because of what you do or what you’ve done. God alone qualifies you. So isn’t it time to stop listening to your past and start listening to God’s opinion of you?
There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing you’ve done or will do that will make God stop using you. And there’s nothing you can do to change God’s mind about you. You’re not in God’s way; you’re not an obstacle. You’re qualified and equipped to be radically used by God to love those around you.
Hearing God’s Opinion
“I’ve enabled you and permanently qualified you to show people who I am. You’re so unique, and you’re such a gift to everyone around you. I don’t need you to be like anyone else. Your voice, talents, and ability are perfect. Nothing will prevent Me from using you. You can trust yourself.”
"And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant."
2 Corinthians 3:6 BSB
Unfaithful, liar, and idolater. These words actually describe Abraham at different points in his life. When God meets and calls Abraham, he’s worshiping other gods.
What I love is that God doesn’t choose someone who has it all together. He doesn’t choose the best dressed or the one with straight A’s. He chooses the most unlikely people to change the world.
It gets better. Before Abraham does anything good or godly, God makes promises to give him land, to make his descendants into a vast nation, and to bless the world through him. The rest of the Old Testament is rooted in this promise of God to Abraham, a promise based not on Abraham’s commitment to God, but on God’s commitment to him.
God didn’t use Abraham because he was qualified or did a bunch of good things. Out of His kindness, God called Abraham and gave him an identity apart from what Abraham did or didn’t do. Abraham was qualified because of God, not because his actions were good.
After God calls Abraham, Abraham flees. He lies to others about his wife, saying she’s his sister. Instead of trusting God to provide a son, he takes his servant and fathers a son through her. Then he lies again about his wife.
So what’s the point? You don’t have to behave perfectly to be used by God. That’s the good news of Abraham’s story. Your current sin or past mistakes don’t disqualify you from being loved or used by God. God’s promises to us don’t rest on our performance or our faithfulness to God, but on His faithfulness to us. The identity He gives us isn’t affected by what we do. And God’s ability to use us isn’t blocked by our mistakes.
When the New Testament writers talk about Abraham, they don’t bring up his mistakes; they talk about how God used him. They call Abraham righteous and obedient, and they even say he never weakened in faith. The same is true of God. He never defines us by our sin. God doesn’t root our identity in our failures; it’s always in what He has done for us. God has anointed us, qualified us, and made us His instruments apart from anything we do.
He’s looking to use you in incredible ways. You’re qualified to minister Jesus and be used by Jesus in every way. And you’re one choice away from letting Christ in you express Himself through you to everyone around you.
Although we hear this, many of us still think our past or the labels we’ve been given prevent us from being used by God. But think of Rahab, who’s known in the Bible as “the prostitute.” This was her profession. She was used and abused by men every day. Dirty. Unwanted. Unloved.
One night she encounters spies who’ve come to check out her city. Out of desperation to be accepted and utilized, she hides the spies. If she’s found out, she’ll be killed. The men escape, take the land, and Rahab the prostitute finds a man who loves her.
Rahab’s descendant (almost thirty generations later) is our Savior, Jesus Christ. No longer known for what she did, Rahab is now known for the family she’s a part of. From the lineage of Rahab the prostitute came the flawless, perfect Son of God.
You’re not qualified because of what you do or what you’ve done. God alone qualifies you. So isn’t it time to stop listening to your past and start listening to God’s opinion of you?
There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing you’ve done or will do that will make God stop using you. And there’s nothing you can do to change God’s mind about you. You’re not in God’s way; you’re not an obstacle. You’re qualified and equipped to be radically used by God to love those around you.
Hearing God’s Opinion
“I’ve enabled you and permanently qualified you to show people who I am. You’re so unique, and you’re such a gift to everyone around you. I don’t need you to be like anyone else. Your voice, talents, and ability are perfect. Nothing will prevent Me from using you. You can trust yourself.”
"And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant."
2 Corinthians 3:6 BSB
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