Pastor John D Jakes

I have a suspicion. I don’t think we ever grow out of the terrible twos. Wait, no, I think we do grow out of those terrible twos. But, we exchange them for a different set of terrible toos.

Do you know what type of ‘toos’ I mean? We think, “I’m too old.” Or, “I’m too young.” We think that we are too sinful or too dumb. We imagine that we are too simple or too broken.  We are always too something.

Luke 1: 13…18-20 “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John… Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

What about you and me? Are you ‘too’ something? When you hear your preacher ask your church to follow God deeper, do you always assume that he must be talking to someone else who is more spiritually mature? When you read in the Bible about a person saying yes to God in some profound way, do you wish you could be like that but believe that it could never happen for you? This week at church we examined the call of God in Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah tells the angel that he and Elizabeth are just too old to have a child. They can’t possible raise the boy who would become John the Baptist. It’s too late for them – at least he thinks so. The angel believes otherwise! In fact, just to underline the point, Zechariah has to be silent for nine months because of his ‘tooness.’ Yet, we know the end to the story. They did have a boy. They did name him John.  He did become the prophet of his day that would usher in the Messiah.

Hear this today – it is time we grow out of the terrible ‘toos’.  Or, maybe we need a different ‘too.’  You know the one: Me too! This week, as you are challenged by God to follow Him deeper, say with me, “Me too!” Don’t dismiss yourself as a receiver of the work of God. Volunteer to be His next great work. Ask to be used. Asked to be changed. Cry out, “Me too!”

Something to think about,

Pastor John