An ordinary life as an offering

I remember Stuart Briscoe, pastor and author, telling a story about a welcome meeting at his church. He was asking people to go around and tell their occupation and something about themselves. There was a young woman who sat squarely in front of him with a big smile. He called on her and she simply said, "I am a fully devoted follower of Jesus, inviting as many people as I can to follow him with me. I work at the factory to pay my way."

Well, I'm a pastor by passion and calling. I just clean houses and offices to pay my way. This year for Easter we are doing a 40 day faith adventure. We are studying the book of Acts together and asking Jesus for things for ourselves, six other people we know, and for our church and city. In the guide we put out, I shared with folks from our church what I was asking God for. Then, in the small group that meets in our home each week, we all shared again what and who we were praying for. We pray for and with each other every week. Because I wrote my requests in the guide, I noticed people at church coming up and asking me how it was going, and encouraging me. Well, I asked for five new clients for my cleaning business, as we had encouraged folks to ask for concrete things.

In the middle of the 40 days, I've found myself discouraged, and thinking why did I do that? Put my request out on a limb for everyone to see. I have to be honest, the encouragement, prayer and comments from people kept me going; yet challenged me. If this was really a faith adventure, I wanted to lead the way. So, this week I "did" Romans 12:1,2, "God helping me, I took my everyday, ordinary life, and gave it to God as an offering". I went door to door in the afternoons to businesses with my business cards. I told them my story, and asked what their needs were.

As I went, I found myself praying. Praying for the people I met, and praying  for the people in my church. Asking Jesus to encourage others that may be discouraged like I was. I asked Jesus to let my actions be a type of spiritual warfare, that he would provide financially for people. For people to have the courage to give out of their need and for God to pour out provision and blessing for them. I could imagine their faces, see friends with cancer and pray for their healing. God met me in between every stop in those prayers. I knew I wasn't alone, and that the best way I could lead my people was to pray and knock on doors.

Well, I do have a new customer from this week, and an appointment for a possible customer. I met a lot of new people to pray for along the way as well. I love following Jesus with others and for the sake of others. Who cares how I pay my way? As long as I give my everyday, ordinary life to God as an offering he will change me from the inside out, bring the best out of me and out of you. The best out of us is Jesus, and that's who we want people to follow. He is an extraordinary God transforming ordinary people, like me, into fully devoted followers of Jesus.