“As he does all of the time,” Stan began, “I again saw that the apostle Paul wrote an invaluable lesson for me in just a few words. This time it was only five words.”
“A lesson in five words. What did he write?” I asked.
“Paul wrote about the futility of my efforts for God that are based only on what I try to do on my own, apart from God.”
“And he wrote that in five words?” I replied. “A man of few words!”
“That’s right,” Stan said. And he continued, “At the beginning of the sixth chapter in his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle wrote that he and those with him were working with God. He made it clear that not only were they not working on their own, they were not even trying to work on their own.”
Continuing, he added, “Paul and the others had come to know and to apply that only by working with God, rather than apart from Him, is it possible to do all that God intends.”
“For me,” Stan concluded, “the only question to be answered when I am seeking to do anything for God is for me to ask myself or to allow the Holy Spirit to ask, ‘Who am I working with?’ If the answer I get is that I am seeking to work on my own, or with anyone other that God, it is time for me go back to the drawing board and start over with the only One who is the expert on what He wants to do. God Himself!”
“How do you do that?” I asked.
“Through God’s written word and through His voice that comes to me from the Holy Spirit. I am to seek, find, and embrace all that God has for me to be and to do on this side of eternity in working with Him for whatever He wants, not for what Stan wants apart from Him!”
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And working together with Him . . . 2 Corinthians 6:1.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you are available all of the time to help me in all that I seek to do for you. I confess that too often I fail to seek your help and fail to work with you, preferring to go on my own. Please forgive me. And please lead, and help me to follow, in seeking and following your help in all things, knowing that You are the only One who can help me in being who and in doing what you intend. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 