Broken Vessels

As a team we are on a rotation to do devotions at the children's home every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night. However Sundays are slightly longer and some children from the village come as well. Last Sunday night it was my turn to speak. To tell you a little about the children's home, it is in a village with a chief, in the middle of a dirt road, but it is technically still in city proper. This is a home started by PCL for orphans who had no where else to go. Currently there are around 25 children here who are well clothed, fed, and loved. Soon I will introduce you to some of them.

As for Sunday night, I spoke on Jonah. (I chose Jonah because everyone who is in the Christian Ministries department at Lee has to take a class that is essentially on the book of Jonah.) I spoke about the fact that everyone deserves the destruction that God had planned for Nineveh. I also talked about the fact that as believers we are all called, like Jonah, to preach the Good News to people who are difficult. Sometimes we even run from God, just like Jonah. Some commentaries even say that after everyone finds out that Jonah is the cause of the storm his jump overboard is not an act of mercy. Instead it is Jonah telling God that he would rather die than go and preach to his enemies in Nineveh. But God's plan is the same as when He called Jonah at the beginning of the book. So God saves Jonah from himself and eventually Jonah submits to the will of God. Because of his disobedience, God could have chosen another prophet. He could have raised up someone else, God did not need Jonah. But he chose and used Jonah anyway.

Jonah was a broken human and yet God made Jonah part of His plan. We are broken vessels and God knows this and He uses us anyway. We are here in Cambodia and we have no special talents, we are not particular assets to God's eternal team. But He uses us. He has called us here, knowing we will mess up, but He can still use us. There is nothing good in us apart from Him. Nothing. But God can and will use us for His precious, perfect, eternal will. God wants to use you too. Right now, right where you are. He has a purpose for you. Even though you are broken and stubborn and scared and sure that you have nothing to offer. He is so great that He can even use broken vessels.

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