Ambitious for What? - Tuesday May 20, 2014
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 2 Corinthians 5:9
The explorer of Antarctica, James Cook, once said, "I ... had ambition not only to go farther than any man had ever been before, but as far as it was possible for man to go."
He was a man of ambition. As Christians, we must be men and women of ambition as well. While Captain Cook was ambitious for himself, we must be ambitious for God! God is worthy of nothing less from us. There are many stories of men and women who, because of an insatiable desire, accomplished great things. I am not aware of any person who desired very little and yet accomplished anything great.
Often, as believers, we have not thought it right to pursue "great things." We tend to think that this reeks of pride and arrogance. And to be candid, this has and does happen in the Name of Jesus, to our shame.
Someone has said, "There is no room for pride in ministry." Amen! Yet, I think we can pendulum swing to the far extreme and develop a false sense of humility. This can easily become an excuse for us to stay in our comfort zone and become complacent.
Humility is not opposed to greatness. Humility is the recognition that I am not here to seek great things for myself (Jeremiah 45:5). Humility is the recognition that if I am going to be involved in something great (like the Great Commission) I must live in a daily dependence upon the Lord and in supportive community with His people.
Submitted by:
Doug Brown
Lee's Summit Community Church
Lee's Summit, Missouri
One-Year Reading Plan:
1 Samuel 26:1-28:25
John 11:1-54
Psalms 117:1-2
Proverbs 15:22-23
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