It seems like many Dayspring people are still on board with the plan to read through the Bible in 2008. Many of us are using the reading plan contained in the journals we promoted at the end of last year.

For this week's installment of my Messages About Purpose and Strategy, I want to comment on an impression that I can't escape as I read through the Old Testament. Maybe you've made the same observation, but I can't help but to notice that God used a lot of imperfect people in his plan. The heroes we celebrate as the Patriarchs may have been outstanding in their faith, but they were also deceptive, manipulative, and more! I hope it doesn't sound sacrilegious to state the obvious: God loved, chose, blessed and used people who didn't deserve it. They we're superheroes. They were very, very human. I guess my Bible reading has illuminated a significant principle about ministry: God delights in doing extraordinary things through ordinary people!

I hope you have not thought that your weakness means that God can't use you. As I often say, Christianity was never intended to be a spectator sport. Your part in fulfilling our vision may be the difference between what could be and what will be.

Recommit yourself to God's glory and be willing to serve him with everything you've got, despite your failings. God uses people like us!