Participation Required

My husband came into the room and found ten year-old Joseph reclining on the couch, absorbed in Saturday morning cartoons. “Joe, time to shut the TV off and come help with the chores,” he told him.

“Dad, do I have to?” Joe asked. “I want to watch TV right now.”

Steve assured Joe everyone else in the family was contributing to the household that morning, and Joe needed to spend some time helping out as well. “I would love to lie around watching TV all morning, but there are things that need to get done,” he told Joe.

“But Dad,” Joe protested. “You like that kind of stuff.”

While a ten year-old’s involvement was not crucial to running an efficient household, we wanted our kids to contribute to the process. Of course having the children help with chores was often more of a hindrance to getting things done than a help. So why go through the struggle to make them contribute? It was in their best interest. They would learn skills that would someday be needed. Hopefully they would develop a good work ethic by following their parents’ example as they worked side by side with us. Their contribution would foster a sense of ownership for our home and family life. Yes, keeping our kids involved was an effort, but valuable to their eventual development into responsible adults.

The idea didn’t originate with us. God, since the beginning of time, frequently chooses to work through the prayers and efforts of His people. Time and time again in scripture, God promises something, but then insists on the obedient cooperation of humans to bring it to pass.

We can see God’s method clearly as He led the Israelites to the Promised Land. Moses stood at the edge of the Red Sea, a cloud of desert dust visible in the distance as Pharaoh’s army approached in hot pursuit. “Why are you crying out to me?” the Lord said to Moses. “Tell the Israelites to move on.” Moses raised his staff over the sea, and the waters divided. God provided the escape. But the Israelites were required to literally step out in faith through the parted waters and cross to the other side.

Approximately forty years later, the people stood gazing at the land promised to their ancestor Abraham over five hundred years earlier. The Lord promised the people: “Every place where you set your foot, I will give you.” The Lord would go before the people and win each territory for them. But they had to be willing to go in and take the land.

God chooses to involve us in His work on earth. Undoubtedly, this comes at a cost. We are faulty participants. We inevitably try to do things our way, and sometimes fail, or at least make the process messy because of our humanness. He could do things perfectly on His own, but He chooses to engage our efforts. Why? Because it is good for us.

Paul was clear on the source of power for God’s work: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) God supplies the power and accomplishes His work faithfully and effectively.

At the same time, He allows us the great privilege and blessing of being a part of His work. Through the experience of co-laboring, we learn more about Him. We mature in our ability to trust Him on a deeper level. We are even promised a future reward for our obedience to Him. Our frailty is something He will use as well, for His “power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) God’s glory shines out through the cracks in these earthen vessels.

He will do what He says and will work on our behalf. But He doesn’t want us sitting on our hands waiting for Him to get started. When He tells us to go, we need to get into gear. We must demonstrate with our feet what we believe about His faithfulness, because He chooses to bless us by requiring our involvement.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9