Working With Dad

“If these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”—Luke 19:40 (ESV)

Last Christmas, I let my son help me decorate the tree. He helped me put the lights up, place ornaments, and put the star on top. Did I need his help? No. In fact, it took longer to decorate because I was including him in the process. But I loved it because we got to bond over the experience and it brought a sense of accomplishment and joy to his heart.

When I think about our relationship with God and our role in His work, I equate it to allowing my son help me decorate the tree. How so? Well, ask yourself this: “Does God—who spoke the universe into existence and holds everything together—need me to do His work in this world?” Plain and simple, the answer is no.

God doesn’t need us to do His work. In fact, if you really think about it, His work would be a lot faster and more effective without us getting in the way. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s true.

Remember the story in Matthew 17 where the disciples couldn’t cast out the demon in the boy? But when Jesus arrived, He cast the demon out with no issues. Or when Peter took a few steps out on the water and then took his eyes off Jesus? Therein lies our biggest problem. We often try to accomplish God’s work instead of allowing God to accomplish His work through us. We take our eyes off Jesus in order to work for Jesus. But remember, He doesn’t need us to accomplish His work. 

Consider that God has used a donkey, the wind, and a burning bush! He doesn’t need us, but He chooses to use us to accomplish His work, to bring us along as a parent brings his or her child into a task. It’s not for His benefit, but for ours. You see, being used by the Lord as we come alongside Him in His great work brings us closer to Him, it causes us to rely on Him, it reveals to us His character and heart, and it blesses us more than we can ever quantify.

I’m so grateful our Father lets us be part of His redemptive work, that He gives us a place in His story. I pray that as He uses us, we can move out of the way and let Him do the work through us; that we could be His hands and feet, led by Christ, our head.

DIG: Read Matthew 14:22–33, 17:14–20, and Luke 19:28–40.

DISCOVER: How has God used you lately? How has He used others in your life? What is your role in His work?

DISPLAY: Pray and ask the Lord to work through you today, to accomplish His will and plan in your life, and to show His love and grace to others through it.

About the Author

Danny Saavedra

Danny Saavedra is a licensed minister who has served on staff at Calvary since 2012, managing the Calvary Devotional and digital discipleship resources. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary. His wife Stephanie, son Jude, and daughter Zoe share a love of Star Wars, good food, having friends over for dinner, and studying the Word together as a family.