Our work or God's work?

A friend and I have been talking about this a lot lately. When you're waiting on God, what are you supposed to do? We hear God saying, "this is what I want for you," or "I've got it handled," and then we wait. But do we sit and do nothing?

I'm starting to realize that the answer is no. Yes, God will make it happen. But just as God used David to slay Goliath, David had to be prepared. He took five stones to prepare to meet the giant. It only took one, but David still had to pick up five and put them in his pouch. David knew God would do the work, but David still had to prepare.

God's given me some incredible visions for the future. So I sit here in my jammies, all excited about what's to come. Except silly me, I kinda sorta forgot that there's things I have to do in order for God to make it all happen. He's not going to say, "poof! Here's a multi million dollar contract from the editorial fairy," unless I've had my sweet little behind in the seat writing my heart out.

And yet, I know a lot of people in this same position. "I need a job." But are they sending resumes or applying for one? Nope. They're waiting for God to send the job fairy. "I need a new car." Instead of looking for cars, they're looking for God to send the car fairy.

Do I think that God is capable of going, "poof," and sending these things our way? Absolutely. But in general, I don't think He works that way. We have to be willing to work alongside Him to bring about the miracles He's promised. God didn't come to earth to be a stuff fairy. He came to have a relationship with us. Which means partnering with Him to make things happen. It means taking steps of faith to say, "Lord, I know you're going to do this," and then doing everything possible to be prepared for it to happen.

There's an old anecdote about the guy in a flood, praying for God to save him. Some guys come by in a boat, but he says, "No thanks, I'm waiting for God." Another group comes to save him, and again, he says, "No thanks, I'm waiting for God." Finally a helicopter comes, and he tells them yet again, "Nope, waiting on God, thanks." The guy dies. He ends up in Heaven and he asks God, "why didn't you save me?" God points to all the people he sent and says, "what more did you want?"

Sometimes I think that's us... drowning in a flood, clinging for dear life while God is sending out all these rescue vehicles that we're ignoring. We're looking for the magic, earth shattering miracle, when God's asking us to trust in Him enough to step out on our own and prepare the way.