Chapter 15 A.W.O.L. (Absent Without Leave)
|
Excerpted from Women, Get in the Army of God by Dawn Wilson. Copyright © 2005.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
"How can we, as Christians, be A.W.O.L. from the army of God? You can be A.W.
O.L. by not choosing to take your place in the army of God and in the body of
Christ. You can be as I was, hearing the call of God, but refusing to heed and obey
that call. I encourage all of you to step into your place of service in the army of
God and in the body of Christ. Allow the Lord to place you and use you. Take your
places!
You can also be A.W.O.L by choosing not to serve in the church to which you are
committed. I personally know of Christians who when asked to serve absolutely
refuse to do so. There are jobs, functions, and positions waiting to be filled in your
church. Many of those already serving are carrying double or triple loads, because
no one else has stepped up to fill a position. We can volunteer to help clean the
church. We can volunteer to be a back-up teacher or volunteer to be a helper to a
teacher of a class that we are in or our children are in. Open jobs in your church
are there, if you are willing to seek where you can serve. These jobs may not carry
any glory or any title; in fact, no one may know what you are doing except you and
God. In what areas are you equipped, gifted, and able to serve? Choose to serve!
You can be A.W.O.L. by choosing not to use your spiritual gifts. Are you telling
the Holy Spirit “No!” as He tries to flow through you and use you to minister to
others? We are all to yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to flow through us and
use us as He desires. Can the Holy Spirit flow through you as He desires? Can
the Holy Spirit use you as He desires? Is your response to Him “Use me as You
will,” or is it “Pass this on to someone else”? Choose to be a vessel for the Holy
Spirit’s use as He desires and wills!
You can be A.W.O.L. by choosing not to use your ministry gifts. Do you know that
you have a ministry gift given to you by God? Are you refusing to move and
operate in it? Are you rejecting the call of God on your life? If you are, then you
are A.W.O.L. from the army of God. Choose to serve in your calling from God!"