Is anyone listening? Is 41:27-29

"Formerly I said to Zion, 'Behold, here they are.' and to Jerusalem, 'I will give a messenger of good news.' But when I look, there is no one, and there is no counselor among them who, if I ask, can give an answer. Behold, all of them are false; their works are worthless, their molten images are wind and emptiness." (Isaiah 41:27-29)

It was God's heart and desire to reveal Himself to His people Israel. He wanted to share His message of good news with them. But when He looked around for someone to relay that message to His people, there was no one who was either qualified or available. They has all gone after their own way; they were busy with their own lives; no one was listening. Could it be today that, once again, God is wanting to share His good news with His people and, once again, He is not finding anyone who can carry that message to them? Could it be that God wants to speak to our churches, our schools, our places of work, and our nations, but He is having trouble finding those who are available and willing to be His vessels? And what about us? Are we available to God? Are we qualified to be vessels of God's good news to the world? What does it take to become vessels fit for God's use?

First of all, we must become clean vessels. Paul reminded Timothy that, "in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:20-21) If we are going to become vessels fit for the Master's use, then we must deal with the issues of sin in our lives. We must allow the light of God to shine in our lives, revealing the areas of darkness that still exist there, and them be willing to turn from the darkness and to learn to walk in a new light. We must be given over to the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification. We can no longer afford to excuse our sins or to minimize our moral failures, but we must be willing to confront them head on and to overcome them. We must be willing to, as Paul said, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13)

Secondly, we must be willing to tarry in God's presence. In the days of Jeremiah, God asked this question of the people of Israel, "But who has stood in the council of the LORD, that he should see and hear His word?" (Jeremiah 23:17) There are many people who want to speak the words of God, but few who are willing to spend the time in His presence that they may hear His words. We cannot ignore God all week and then expect to be used by God as a messenger for His good news. There are no short cuts. To know what God is presently saying we must spend time presently listening to Him. We must make time to be with Him and to hear Him.

If we apply ourselves to these two things, the soon enough we will find ourselves fit for the Master's use; ready and available for what ever He should ask of us. Oh, what an exciting life that would be!

David Robison