2 Samuel 18:23 – He said, “Come what may, I want to run.”  So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.”

Good morning!  What a day that shall be when my Jesus I shall see when I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace.  That song is in my heart today, but with a different twist.   It reminds me of LOVE!   God’s love for us, our love for Him, and our ability to love each other!

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, a plethora of things filled my consciousness.   Most were for private consumption, but one thing draws my focus: Zeal!

Zeal?  More specifically, zeal without a specific divine directive.  That is presented in Ahimaaz in 2 Samuel 18.  He kept bugging Joab to let him run as a messenger to David.  Joab said, “You don’t have the message.”  He persisted, and Joab said, “Run!”   He outran the Cushite who had the message.  He got to David but had no message.  He said, “I saw that something was happening, but I don’t know what.”

•  He had a desire to run. 
• He had the ability to run.
• He ran faster than everyone else.
• But his effort and ability had no redeeming value.  It was wasted energy and ability.

Sometimes, we become stirred by God’s presence and quickly volunteer to run.  We have the desire to be involved.  Zeal drives us into action, but without the divine directive, we are just running!

That’s how we get ahead of God.  We act before there is a clear revelation.  In doing so, we can do damage to the cause.   How?  We stir others up but have no revelation or divine directive.   We are just doing!

God is not interested in doing things for the sake of doing them.   He always has a purpose.   A stirred heart does not, in itself, qualify one to run!   A divine call is required.  Running without God’s message opens the door to deception and disappointment.   

It can result in spiritual frustration.   We ask, “God, why didn’t You, I Ran!”  Then, at others, we ask, “Hey, why aren’t you running?”  We become frustrated with ourselves and think, ‘If I had run sooner or faster, then…‘   Never let Zeal become more compelling than Call.

Doing God’s Word, God’s Way, and in God’s Time produces God’s Results.   It is not inactivity to wait for the Call, the Word, and the Timing of God; it is resting and waiting on the Lord.   The converse is also true; waiting out of uncertainty and fear when God has called is inactivity, not rest.  Jesus said, “My sheep, HEAR My voice and follow Me.”   

The question is, are we His sheep?  If we are, we hear His voice.

May your day be filled with peace and clear purpose!