Summoned: Stepping Up to Live and Lead With Jesusናሙና

Plugging In

Getting God’s direction for what we’re leading is necessary, but not enough. Making meaning is necessary, but not enough. To lead the way and do the work, we need God’s help, God’s strength, God working in and through us. We need God’s empowering presence.

A famous author once wrote something like this: “When I work, I work. When I pray, God works.” Did he mean that our talents don’t matter? That our giftedness doesn’t come into play? That our aptitude fails to engage? That our motivation mucks things up? Did he mean that prayer is some type of magic potion we can sprinkle over ourselves? That prayer can excuse our lack of preparation? That prayer is a substitute for the application of our intellect and energies? No.

He meant that, as ably and as surely as these factors might contribute, nothing took the place of God’s touch on his life and work when he relied on God to empower his energy and efforts.