Romans 4:21 – [Abraham] was absolutely convinced that God was able to do anything he promised. (NLT)

Online dating has become a fad of the twenty-first century — one more sign of our highly technological society. Those who advertise themselves are supposedly available — not married or in an ongoing relationship. Unfortunately, this isn't always true.

A part of my profession is being available. I'm on twenty-four-hour call 365 days a year for domestic disputes, tragedies, or death. Being available is not always easy, and there is a certain level of stress accompanying it.

Abraham was available. God spoke to him, instructing him to leave his home for a place he had never been or seen. He promised to make Abraham into a mighty nation, giving him descendants as numerous as stars and sand. So Abraham left, never questioning what must have sounded illogical.

I often wonder if my availability to God is of that magnitude. I pride myself in being available to others, but I can tell them no — at least sometimes. With God, that's another story. I mean, after all, He is God. Can I logically or safely refuse Him? But perhaps the two are not really that different after all. Jesus taught that as we serve others we actually serve Him. He also said that as little as a cup of cold water given in His name would be rewarded.

Availability, whether to God, others, or both, is difficult. It takes time and entails my becoming vulnerable. It often decreases the amount in my cheque book and may mean that I have to do with less. It confronts my selfish nature. But it's worth it, and it's exactly what God wants from us.

Prayer: God, help us to notice those available opportunities that You lay in our paths. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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