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when Christ’s body got too busy

There’s a thing going on in the body of Christ today.  I see it.  I hear it.  I feel it.

We got busy.
So very, very busy.
We got sidetracked and began to focus on the things of the world.  The things that seemed so important, but yet, aren’t.
I see it when I reach out to advocate for children. 
Precious and amazing children who are desperately needing to be chosen.  Children who have mere days left before they “age out” of the adoption system in their countries. 
“We would do it.  BUT.  We need some of our older children to leave the house before we can adopt again.”
“Oh, I would go.  BUT.  We really should finish the addition to our home before we can do it.”
“If only I wasn’t running around taking kids to activities all day along.  It would give me more time to invest in another child.”
“We just have too much on our plates right now.”
Indeed.  The church of God is just too busy.
Too busy to fulfill one of the greatest mandates that He gave us.

“Care for the widow and the orphan in their distress.”  (James 1:27)
We fill our lives with stuff.  Too much stuff!  We ferry our children from one activity to the next and fill their lives with endless busyness.  We spend more time on our fancy phones and social networks than we do with our children. We take on things that we think are good and wonderful and worthy of all the extra effort…
…while one little boy (with just weeks left to find a family) on the other side of the world draws a picture of himself.  A picture of himself with a smiley face, holding hands with a mom and dad.  It’s the absolute desire of his heart.
AND NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION!
And there’s another young guy.  He recently saw his dear friend leave with a family and asked, “How did he find a family and not me?”  Sadly, he only has until March 3 to be adopted. 
No one is willing to sacrifice to save that child’s life-literally! Don’t even try and tell me that he is better off where he is! That’s just a pathetic excuse to leave him there.
I am burdened today!  I sent my dear husband a text early this morning.
“Why did God call Peter to walk on the water when the sea was a complete mess?”
Why?  To build Peter’s faith?  Yes.  To show His glory in the midst of impossible circumstances?  Absolutely!
God called Peter to walk on the water to remind His people hundreds of years later that HE CALLS US ALL TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE.  He calls us all to step out of the boat and walk on water when life is unfamiliar, and uncomfortable, and as messy as it can possibly be!
THAT’S when His glory shines the brightest.
THAT’S when we see Him move in ways we never imagined and calm any sea that rages around us.
It takes just one step.  A step of obedience!
I fear that so many of us are missing out on being a Peter.  I’m sure the guy had one thousand very rational reasons flooding through his brain as to why taking one step out of that boat would be a very, very bad idea.  I know I would!  “Thanks, but no thanks, Jesus!”
Peter could have missed out on one of the greatest blessings that the LORD could ever have given him.  He could have chosen to stay put, finding comfort in his very legitimate excuses.
But by saying yes, Peter’s faith grew as he looked into the eyes of the ONE who calmed the storm and saw His faithfulness in such a deeper way.
Peter knew!
I want that!  I long for that for my own family. I’m desperate for us to be at a place where we are so abandoned and so yielded to His will that NOTHING else matters. 
Comfort, familiarity, security, and busyness keep us in the boat.  Many times we want that.  We long for all those things.  We desire easy.  As Anthony and I have walked our own crazy journey of discomfort over the past six months, I cannot tell you how many times we have looked at each other and said, “God could change this in a heartbeat, but He hasn’t.  This is where He wants us…and it’s okay!”
We have felt stretched to the point of not wanting to take on one more thing.
And while we, His Church, sit and wait for God to clear our schedules, provide more income, give us that big house, lift one or two pesky burdens, and settle our lives a little…
God says, “Get out of the boat and WALK!”
Walk when life is messy.
Walk when we feel like we’re holding on by our finger tips.
Walk when we’re at the end of our rope.
Walk when we feel too darn busy or tired to give away one more piece of ourselves.
I just smile when someone tells me their life is so crazy and they always have to remind themselves that God will never give them more than they can handle.  Nope!  God will always give us more than we think we can handle.  You just have to read the Bible to know that He chose ordinary people just like you and me and gave them so much more than what they thought they could deal with in life. 
He stretches us to the point of being so absolutely empty…
…and pressing into Him with everything that we have.
It’s a yielded life.  More of Him and less of us.
If His Word is true (and it IS!) then He promises us that we can do ALL things through Him who gives us strength (Phil 4:13).
There are literally thousands of children on waiting-child lists who are waiting for us, the glorious Bride of Christ, to get a little more uncomfortable and a whole lot less busy.
It’s time to seek the Kingdom of God first, Church…
…walk on water in ANY way that He calls us.
Give every ounce of ourselves away for the sake of someone who needs us.
Pour out our lives.  Sacrifice.
I don’t know about you guys, but I am so out of excuses as to why I cannot give my Jesus everything that I have, every dream in my heart, and all that I am.
It’s time that the Church got back to the right kind of busyness…
…His Business.
Both of the boys above urgently need families.  For more information contact Annie at [email protected]
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