It is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons or in the wrong way. Think of Roy Riegels. Playing for the University of California in the Rose Bowl, he picked up a Georgia Tech fumble and ran with the football all the way to the end zone. The wrong end zone. One of his own men had to tackle him. Now we know why his nickname was “Wrong way Riegels.” This was hard for Roy to live down.
David wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant back from the Philistines to Jerusalem. After God commissioned the Ark, Israel used it in their worship, even consulting God before it. The whole country thought this was a great idea. So David brought out the whole country and they built a new cart for the ark. When the horse stumbled, Uzzah steadied the ark by reaching out and touching it, and then he died. Discouraging. David was angry and afraid at the same time. So he took the powerful piece of furniture and left with Obed-Edom the Gittite. It sounds like an offer Obed-Edom couldn’t refuse. But then the Lord blessed his family.
What do you want to do for God? Be sure it is something God wants you to do. On another occasion, David asked if he could build a temple for the Lord. Nathan said, “Absolutely,” in Hebrew. But then God said, “Hold your horses. You are not the one to build the temple.”
In a previous ministry, our church made an offer on forty acres of land and started doing our due diligence. I did everything in my power to make it happen. It did not happen. I said to Melanie, “Why can’t I get this done? I’ve read all of John Maxwell’s books on leadership. I even shook his hand at a conference.” Melanie in her wise way said, “Maybe you are not the one to buy that land and build this church.” “If it is to be, then it is up to me,” I thought and replied, “Who else is going to do it?” That church never bought that land. Neither did John Maxwell’s church, I later learned. But he did write great books about getting things done as a leader.
God knows what he wants. He knows who he wants to do it. God knows when it should be done. We are not God. So sometimes we don’t just do something. We stand there. While we wait, God blesses. God is always in the details (despite the devil’s reputation). We can trust him to lead us to do the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. Let’s trust him.
