BACK TO THE BASIC SUBJECT OF WHY GOD USES HUMANS, this question struck a chord that I needed to examine:
When I consider the "why" of God's "using" us, I feel it is important to start with his intent. When we talk about being used by other people, we usually view this as negative. Other people often "need" something from us or want to change our influence on their lives for their own selfish and more-importantly undeserving purposes or gain. As we all know, atrocities have occurred as a result of powerful people wielding that power to achieve their biased, selfish, distorted goals by controlling and using those that are less powerful. This leads me to ask myself, "How is it different to think about God using me? Why does such a consideration actually have the opposite effect when I think about God using me?"
There is an old hymn that declares, "I long so much-- to feel the touch--of His consuming fire. To be used of God-- is my desire." Unlike our fellow man, God does not need us. In Acts 17:23-25 the apostle Paul says, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by men, nor is he served by human hands as if he needed anything. since he, himself, gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."
For me to shift from fear of people (and systems) welding power over me to contemplation of how God might use me to work his perfect will in the world, is the hope that brings me joy even now as I wait eagerly for the outcome of my life...the adoption as HIS child and the redemption of my body. (Romans 8: 23,24) It is as he is using me to work his good will in the world that he is creating good in me. It is because he does not NEED to use me but desires a love relationship with me as he use me, that he creates in me a loving heart. It is as he uses me to bring news of his glorious justice to the world (glorious because it is not by condemnation but by sacrifice that justice is served.) that I begin to submit to him my demands for justice and place my trust in HIS perfect laws of justices that bring life not death.
Now I am going to go down some thought paths, in faith, hoping it will bring glory to His name and encourage a bold Spirit of adoption by which I will literally cry, "Abba. Father"! In other words, I hope to think God-thoughts that move me to boldness for the glory of His Name's sake. There are a couple Christian precepts that are coming to mind which, when combined, reveal an exciting relationship between being used by God and the christian journey of sanctification.
Consider:
1) His using me is NOT separate from his choosing me. His choosing me is NOT separate from his justifying me and his justifying me is not and will not be separate from his glorifying me as promised in Romans 8:28 & 30 "For those who love god all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose*...and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
*i.e. called to be used for his purpose.
Now hold that concept and consider:
2) His choosing me is not separate from justification and sanctification. If our purpose is to give glory to God who is in fact glorious and worthy of all praise as glorious, and if he desires this relationship with us and has done SO much to bring us to himself (1 Peter 3:18), there is a closeness that is to be brought about...it is an unveiling that allows us to experience that which is glorious to bear witness to appropriately and hence fulfill our purpose. Jesus summed up the fulfilling even the surpassing of the Law, the law of sin and death, with the new Law...the law of the spirit of life which brings life and peace (Romans 8:1). The summary of the Law was first to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul and to love your neighbor as yourself. (Mathew 22:36-40) Now, if we respond and love Him because He first loved us, and gave his life for us, then we are in a love relationship and the veil is torn. (Remember Romans 8:28 & 30 above.) If we love then we love like him. He defines love for he IS love. If that is love then we, too must love not just God, but also others because that is what love is. In the love chapter we are told what love is. Even faith and hope, as great as they are lose meaning when NOT in the context of love. If someone does NOT love then they are not in relation to Him. God does not only sometimes love, he always loves and that is the ONLY kind of relationship he has...and so knows with that deep unifying knowing he has with the Son and the HS. For God doing and being are one, with no discrepancy. IF I AM A CHRISTIAN, if Christ is in me, if Christ literally did everything his father had him do and it is the basis for what he teaches me to be, then to be a Christian IS also the doing for they cannot be separated. That is why faith without works and work without faith are both wrong! They CANNOT be separated because, in the nature of God, they are NOT separated. In the nature of God doing and being are synonymous.
SUPPORT: Some of Christ's last words were, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to you remembrance all that I have said to you. John goes on to quote Jesus (John 14:26,27) saying: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. NOT as the world gives do I give to you." A few chapters later in 16:13 "When the Spirit comes he will guide you into all truth. Also "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide." John 15:16 Finally, In Christ's last meditation with the Father he petitions, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. " John 17:17-18
So here I go...therefore to move us towards SANCTIFICATION...he USES each of us to bring all of US (the chosen) to God. For in those moments, we are BOTH being and doing and knowing that-for-which-we-were-created. Have you had those moments? When you are DOING and therefore KNOWING and therefore BEING? It is SO beautiful when it is God stuff. There is NO greater joy than when the joy is spread and we are in the VERY midst of it and God is doing it in our presence while doing it in us. We seen Him in action, in all His glor,y. In those moments there isn't a veil. You see we get pieces...or at least I do. But the last verse of 2 Cor 3 declares the precious truth:
"But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." Then, the very next Chapter begins, "Therefore, having THIS MINISTRY by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. And so the transforming is caught up in the ministry and keeps us on the path of sanctification!"
Wow this was long, but I want you to know that God is teaching me LITERALLY as I am writing and so who am I to stop the flow because I THINK it is too long! Thank you for the opportunity to share this growing experience with you-all! Also, I would love to develop ithis further and KNOW if there are aspects that I misunderstand or need a greater vision of and you feel lead to help me develop it further, then we can work together in service of our glorious Lord and Savior as we consider his "USE" of us even now!