by Caleb Hoskins
John 15:7-8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit…
One summer I travelled to Hawaii with three other friends. Our plan was to live with one friend’s parents, find summer jobs, and do as much sight seeing and surfing as possible. But two weeks into our stay all my friends had jobs except for me. I knew I’d be going home early if I didn’t get a job, so I was frantic for days as I waited, until my devotional reading led me to John 15. Reading those words, I decided I first needed to give my plans to God—to “remain” in Him. I told God that if His plan was for me to stay in Hawaii then I would use my summer to glorify Him and not just to have fun. I continued to pray for a job, but I did so knowing that my purpose was to live my summer for Christ. Amazingly, within five minutes of “Amen” the phone rang; I had a job! It was the most obvious and immediate answer to prayer I’d ever received! I still had an amazingly fun summer; after all, it was Hawaii, but I looked for ways to serve Him that I would have otherwise missed. I obediently got involved at my friend’s church and made a lot of lasting friendships. I read through the entire Bible that summer and shared Christ with several people at my job. I wouldn’t trade any of that for a few extra hours at the beach.
Prayer: God, give me eyes to see Your plans for me in every situation. Help me to submit my plans to You daily, because when I do, I always find something better.
I'm a planner and an organizer. That can be good, but it also gives me a tendency to "run ahead" of God with my own agenda. Thanks, Caleb, for sharing such a clear example of surrending your plans for God's plans.
ReplyDeleteLord, I lay down all that I am and ask you to show me would it is that you have in store for me today! Fill me with YOUR power to do your will.
I love you Caleb~ and I love this story, I will never get tired of hearing it.
ReplyDeleteMy plans are not great unless they are surrendered to the fact that God wants to be glorified in what I do, my life exists now because God wants to be glorified by it.
John 15:7-8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit…
If I make an effort to life my life for God- not myself, read the Bible, put that into practice and claim it in my own life. I will bear fruit.
Am I bearing 'MUCH' fruit?
Dear Caleb:
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed at your level of Christian maturity at that time in your life. I didn't become a Christian until I was an adult, so it always touches me when I hear such wonderful stories of faith from when folks were still quite young. Thank you for sharing.
Heidi