Playing Big with God

The images on the television screen were both inspiring and challenging. Mario Gomez stepped out of the capsule that had brought him to the surface after 69 days of captivity in the Chilean mine.  He embraced his wife. Then he fell to his knees in prayer, spiritually embracing God, who had been with him throughout the ordeal. Earlier, as another miner exited the rescue capsule, he crossed himself and raised a hand in acknowledgment to Jesus, his Savior.

Inspiring and challenging. While each miner was a story in his own right, there was a larger story of an enormous effort by people throughout the world bringing their best thinking, their best technology, and their prayers to a never-before-accomplished rescue feat. And, at the very center was God. Inspiring… that such a diverse group of people, including some of our NASA scientists, would tackle such an undertaking for 33 people who they did not know. Inspiring… because Mario reminded us that in the midst of this seemingly impossible, overwhelmingly complex task, God was there.

Challenging… in that I question whether I can bring the same spirit to the demands of my everyday life. Challenging… in that I doubt that I bring anywhere near the same level of thanksgiving to the blessings which God visits upon me every day. Challenging… in that I am sure that I shrink before God-given tasks that are nothing in comparison to being one of the miners holding on and encouraging their fellow captives for such a long time.

The Chilean miner rescue stirred thoughts of Scripture verses as well as a quote attributed to Nelson Mandela.

Jeremiah heard “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord.” (Jer 29 11-14)

Rarely do we consider the part of the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 when Jesus says to the Disciples ‘You give them something to eat.’ (Luke 9:13) Jesus works his miracle only after the Disciples give what they have.

In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul exclaimed: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) Finally, in his inauguration speech, Nelson Mandella quoted a passage from Marianne Williamson’s “A Return to Love.” “You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.”

In the stewardship of all with which God has blessed us, including our very lives, many of us tend to play small. God calls us to large things, even enormous things that seem to be beyond our ability. Whether it be through lack of vision, lack of resolve, or failure to play it big with what God has provided us, many of us shrink from the task. We explain that we don’t have the time… we don’t have the money… we don’t have the skills… to play big as God would have us. We limit ourselves, and our ability to play it big for God, by forgetting that his big plans start with us accepting that God provides what we need to carry out those plans when we step out in faith.

As we consider our pledges for the coming year, prayerfully consider what big plans God yearns for us to undertake to his glory. He did not bring us together in our faith community to play small. He will work miracles when we step out in faith.