Motivation

With earbuds in and water bottle in hand, I set out on my morning walk.  My I-pod was set to "shuffle", so I heard a variety of music as I walked.  Some Southern Gospel.  A trip down memory lane to my high school years as I listened to The Lettermen.  Some hymns.  A Christmas song.  But even a Christmas song was not enough to cool me off this morning!  It's another hot, humid day here in the Upstate.

My goal when I set out was to walk the main road of our neighborhood twice.  Up to the top of the hill, then down to the bottom, and then repeat.  After I had made one round, I was still feeling pretty good, so I kept going.  When I passed my house the second time, I knew I could make it. And I did.  Yay me!  Mission accomplished.

The last song I heard as I was walking was "Send Us to the Nations" by Jarod Espy, who is the worship leader in the "Genesis" services at our church.  Jarod is a gifted young man and this song packs a powerful message.

As I was listening, I was reminded of our Life Group lesson yesterday.  We were studying 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath.

What does a song about going to the nations have to do with a story about a boy with a slingshot defeating a giant?  It has to do with motivation.

Look at 1 Samuel 17:46-47.  David is speaking, announcing to the giant what he is going to do (kill him and cut his head off!).  Then David tells the giant, and all the people listening, and us, why he is going to do that.

"...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD's and He will give you into our hand." (1 Samuel 17:46b-47 NASB)

David was not going to kill the giant just to save the army of Israel, although that was  certainly a result. 

David was not going to kill the giant in order to make himself famous, although that was certainly a result.

What David tells us here is that His motivation was that all might know the power of the living God!

And that should be a motivation for us as well.  To make God's name and His glory known.  In our homes and our neighborhoods and our cities and our country and our world.  That's what the song "Send Us to the Nations" is really all about.

Whatever you or I may be doing today, what are we doing to make God's glory known? 



Listen to "Send Us to the Nations" here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB3wfLf3zTw