Everyday Stars: Slower Responders
So the Lord's anger was aroused against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the Sight of the Lord was gone.
Numbers 32:13 (NKJV)
Unless I see in His Hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His Side, I will not believe.
John 20:25 (NKJV)
'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.' But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1:2-3 (NKJV)
Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece.'
Judges 6:39 (NKJV)
Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.
Jeremiah 1:6 (NKJV)
Some everyday stars take longer to rise, as they learn tough lessons… or grow in faith.
How much longer?
For the children of God in Exodus, an 11-day hike took 40 years.
For Thomas to believe Christ had risen, his AHA! moment came 8 days later.
For Jonah to go preach in Ninevah, weeks on the run plus 3 days in a whale.
For Gideon to get up and go fight, one big day asking God to prove Himself.
For young Jeremiah to prophesy, it was just a moment's hesitation.
And what happened then? They did the right thing. They followed the destinies God gave them.
Thankfully, we serve a God of infinite understanding: a God of mercy and second chances, a God Who wants all men to be saved.
So even after our willful delays, when our conscience gets the better of us, we discover God loves us nonetheless. It's better to be a late responder than to refuse our own AHA! moments.
Surely, that’s my own redemption story. Responding to Jesus at 51 is way 'late' by most conversion standards. Looking back now, the timing seems perfect.*
Because following God is a process. Some nuts are harder to crack than others:/ Like me! But…
Until our last breath, it’s never too late. The sinner on the cross next to Jesus is our irrefutable evidence.
Even so, consider a reasonable question:
What ‘fruit’ could he possibly show to God? A major harvest! Generationally, think how many people (like me) are encouraged by him!
Therefore, RESPONDING TO GOD (EVEN LATE)... is an attribute of everyday stars.
Everyday Stars: Slower Responders (Part 3)
* In terms of my lifelong work in talent scouting, development, and placement, the decades I spent working in MAINSTREAM entertainment, gaining knowledge and excellent VIP connections, allowed me to give aspiring Christian performers the knowledge and connections… they had not (easily) found before. Also, AMTC Shine provided (and still provides) a community of like-hearted performers in this unusual, but vitally important mission field. Undeniably, Entertainment has emerged as the largest, most needy, and most influential ministry on earth.
NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.