Join God in Easy Work

Scripture: During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:9-10

Observation: Paul has this vision of a man asking him to come to Macedonia and "help us", and he immediately goes. Interestingly, Paul does not go in search of ... this man. He rapidly goes to a couple cities on his way to Phillipi, where he preaches then baptizes a woman and her family. Despite the fact Paul saw a man in his dream, there is no mention of a man, and clearly no action by Paul to seek out a definitive person.

This might not be an inconsistency. In thinking back on other times when the Lord speaks to individuals in dreams and visions, he often does not show a specific individual and then send the receiver of the dream on a quest. Instead, the Lord gives instructions and looks for obedience to those instructions. If interacting with a specific person is involved, it is often that the individual in the vision or dream is not that person, but just the messenger who speaks of the person.

Dreams of God are tricky. Even when metaphorical, visions and dreams are often revelations from God that need interpretation and prayerful understanding by someone well attuned to the Holy Spirit. Paul fits that qualification of course, so understood the nature of his own dream. However, again the other part of this is that visions and dreams seem to reliably involve a messenger. The "person" in the vision is not a person involved in fulfilling the instructions of the vision.

So the "man of Macedonia" was a heavenly messenger, but his message is for Paul to come "help us". The implication is that heavenly work has already begun in Macedonia, and they now desire a human to join in the work and deliver the good news of Jesus. In other words, the mission wasn't "go to this untouched area and introduce the idea of God to the masses." The mission was "come to these people who already believe in God and are prepared to receive Jesus."

Application: I don't think God gives most of us really hard tasks. He mostly gives us tasks that are just to be a part of something he is already doing. Jesus even says this.

I am not sure I ever get a vision to come join the Lord in some work. I do see places that show evidence that he is at work, and I hope I join him in that appropriately. 

Prayer: Lord, as I think upon your callings and your ways this day, may I not just seek some huge and grand plan. Instead, may I find the places where your hand is already at work, and just join you as your human assistant in that work. Amen.