Characteristics Of A God Sized Challenge

I do not know if you experienced this in your neighborhood or not, but I often do during the holiday season. It often starts around October, since Halloween has become one of the most celebrated holidays in our country. As I drive by these houses I have seen so many times, I begin having double takes.

¡§What are they putting up there? What in the world are they doing?¡¨ You know what I¡¦m talking about. Slowly, but surely, as fall turns to winter and the year winds down you find yourself living among dozens of Clark Grizwalds. These decorative monstrosities are being created in their yards, on their roofs, around their mailboxes, and you have no idea what they are hoping this will look like some day when the switch is thrown.

Imagine Noah¡¦s neighbors. First it was just some wood. . .but this thing was getting out of hand. Maybe he had just picked up a new fishing hobby and wanted something to sail in, but this was turning in to some form of Cincinnati Zoo 5 day, 4 night Carnival Cruise Fun Ship.

What about Joshua? Why in the world are these nuts marching around this city?

What about David? Surely he does not think he is going to survive that monster with a slingshot?

What about Jesus? Why in the world is He putting mud on that guys eyes?

What about Paul and Silas? Why are they singing in the midst of this dark, smelly prison?

Cover to cover you will find again and again that when you pursue a God sized challenge. . .

V. IT INVOLVES FACING CONFUSION

Things will not always make sense.

It is a terribly frustrating truth for a man like myself. A type ¡¥A¡¦ perfectionist who understands there is a right way, and a wrong way to do things. Someone for whom there is a passionate pursuit of the logical. Things are supposed to make sense. Point A is supposed to go through Point B to get to Point C. And it drives me crazy that God does not always operate that way.

Often when God presents a challenge in our lives, it will involve facing confusion. In fact, often we are the ones who are confused. Do you not think Abraham was confused?

Don¡¦t get me wrong, I believe he trusted God and was willing to act in obedience and faith to God¡¦s command. . .but if he was a man like me, a father, a husband, someone who was passionately pursuing God. . .somewhere inside I can just imagine him saying, ¡§God, this isn¡¦t making sense. I trust you. . .but I¡¦m confused.¡¨

I am confident. I have no doubt. The thought does not escape me for even a moment that as we move forward together here at Stonewall Wesleyan, there will be times when we take action in the face of our God sized challenge that will confuse people.

¡§Why didn¡¦t we do this?¡¨ ¡§Why did they change that?¡¨ ¡§Why are we starting these?¡¨

Don¡¦t be afraid to ask the Isaac questions. Don¡¦t be afraid to seek clarification, direction and wisdom. Don¡¦t be afraid to say. . .I¡¦m confused, this isn¡¦t making sense.¡¨

However, don¡¦t let that confusion be a roadblock, because the next thing we see is that a God sized challenge. . .