Become a Vessel to be used by the Lord
It is said and I truly believe that God created man in order to have the most intimate of relationships with Him. The shorter version is that God created man to have a relationship with him (man). Throughout the Bible, you will read references to: “they will become my children and I will be their Father.” When you read of Adam and Eve God had an intimate personal relationship with them, speaking to them and instructing them daily. Down through the years God chose selected people to keep that line of clear communication from voice to ear so mankind would be clear about God’s instructions.
From Abraham on down through Moses and on through the many prophets, throughout our entire existence on the earth, God has spoken to and with mankind in ways that were distinguishable and discernible. Some were audible, some through dreams, and some through internal spirit, which is inaudible to others. So what does this mean? Does God show favoritism? No! It means that God does select certain vessels to serve particular purposes but if a man desires God, God built man specifically to have a relationship with him (man) so it is up to man to really desire God. God does not move nor change but we have the ability to move in and out of His presence because of our imperfections.
Think about it! God being God can do anything and as our Maker, He delights in being our Father. He provides measures and means for His children but in order to get what God provides, you have to do it in a certain way. Unholiness cannot be in the presence of Holiness. God is Holy and we are not. Therefore in order to approach God, you must do so from a place of humility, humbleness, and purity of heart. You remember when Moses was approaching the presence of God he was ordered to take off his sandals because he was standing on hallowed ground. The ground was only holy because it was where God’s presence was at the time. Otherwise, it was just the ground. God also told Moses to stand in a certain place until His presence passed through because no mortal can stand in the full presence of God and live. It's complicated but you have to go very deep in order to understand the totality of God. We as mortal beings do not have that full capability while in mortal flesh.
In the book of Exodus 3, it tells us about the story of Moses and the burning bush. Moses had been tending his flock to the far side of the wilderness when he approached the mountain of God. There an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames from the fire in a burning bush. Moses saw this and was curious about this strange happening so he decided to go closer and take a closer look. This is where I copy the actual scripture for you here:
“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”
I will leave the balance of the story for you to read on your own if you desire but the point I make is that God is alive and present in the lives of His people and it was not just with Moses, a selected prophet from birth, but with His creations in general. However, in order to reap the full benefits of son-ship or daughter-ship, one must follow specific instructions from God. He is the only one that can allow you into His presence and He selects the form that it will be. But before anything can happen you must first become a willing vessel. I use the example of Moses but there are many other such stories where an Angel of the Lord manifested before the eyes of a willing or unwilling servant and God instructed them for specific purposes. Even today God hovers the earth below and sends His angels to achieve specific assignments and purposes unbeknownst to most mortals. Why, because most mortals do not desire the level of self-sacrifice in order to purify themselves to go before the presence of God, or His angels. There are different levels of engagement but even at the lowest one most do not want to be obedient enough to approach the altar reverently and with a humble heart.
Even though I can write this essay I am not special and have no power or permission to approach the presence of God. I make no such claims but I do know that God selected me for a purpose and if only to be able to write such messages, I have to get out of the way in order to allow the Spirit to use me as a vessel. Years back when I wanted desperately to get to know God better so I was drawn to reading and studying all sorts of books and information out of curiosity. I even read about philosophy, science, history, psychology, and nature. I would read hours upon hours just taking it in and moving on to the next book. While doing so I could feel my inner spirit waking up and paying attention to things that I would normally glaze over. I would watch a spider spin his web in my back yard or the birds swoop down to attempt to get the spider. I would hear the many birds in the area chirping and singing. I looked up into the sky and watched the view of the mountains. Everything looked so amazing to me and I was not even high on any substance. At the time it just seemed to be a phase I was going through so I gave it little significance. But, I did know that I really desired to know God in a special way as a human being I was trying to get a better understanding of things of a godly nature.
Over the years I started writing down my thoughts and even tried to write and publish a few books but at the time I saw this as a career change so I figured out how to write continuously and I learned about the process of taking your manuscript through an editing process and on through the printing process. After many years I learned how to become a self-publisher so I thought that was what I was to do, write and publish books. At that time, even though I was writing about God and godly subjects, it was not about God but about me becoming this writer-person. Because my desires were more about me than about God the messages were fuzzy and not pure because the Spirit was inhibited. It was about this imperfect human being saying something and doing something for personal acclaim and not really as much about God so He allowed me to stay in school while He continued to teach me and see if I was learning His valuable lessons. It was like a bottle of wine that only matures with age. God put in me what I was to use for Him, but it would only come about with age and maturity.
I tell my brief testimony, not for personal recognition or fame but to say that if you desire to know God He will take it over from that point but you must be flushed of this personal glory and selfish ambitions in order to become a servant of the Lord. Many people serve at various degrees but if you really wish to give your all to the Lord you must be willing to become a vessel for Him to pour into you His Holy Spirit. Obviously anyone who accepts Christ as Lord receives the indwelling Holy Spirit but not all realize just how to use its power or to allow the Spirit to take the lead rather than the back seat. God is all-powerful and His power resides in those of whom He accepts as His children but not all of His children realize just what is in them, otherwise, they would act accordingly. Just as Moses had to take off his sandals because of standing on a piece of ground where the Spirit of the Lord passed, having the Holy Spirit in a mortal body requires similar respect and humility. Until the recipient is willing to conform to this new creation they are saved by His grace, but becoming a vessel requires much more self-sacrifice if you truly want to be used by God. Even as I write this I realize just how impure I am so what might be otherwise possible… I block because of my imperfections. I am not worthy.
In order to get what God offers one must be willing to do what God commands. He says, Be Holy because I am Holy. “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44–45
I realize just how difficult it would be to reach the point of holiness but we should be able to at least do a lot better than we do currently… Therefore being a clean vessel is almost impossible for most of us. However, God is not counting on us all to be something that we cannot be without His intervention, but He would like to see us give it more than most of us give.
How many amongst you are willing to go the extra steps towards holiness? How many of you are willing to get a lot better than you are currently towards living a righteous life? Even though becoming a vessel is possible… few will go that extra step so God takes them as they are and uses them accordingly. The main thing for us is to desire God more than we desire the things of this world and then it is by His power that your vessel is used by God to serve His many purposes. The harvest field is plentiful but there are too few workers, says the Lord.
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9: 37–38
I wonder what sort of world this would be if God had just a few more vessels that were willing to work His fields? Selah!
