“Go all out for God, and God will go all out for you.”
There once was a woodpecker who flew to the top of a tall pine tree and began to peck on the bark like woodpeckers often do. A terrible storm moved in. Suddenly, a bolt of lighting struck the pine and sent the entire tree into a pile of splinters. After a moment of stunned silence, the bird said, “Well, well, well! Who would have imagined that just three pecks of my beak could have such power as that!” The bird truly believed that it was his strength – and not the lightning – that had destroyed the tree.
Jonathan Goforth heard the “woodpecker story” early in his ministry and it changed his life. He explained that, as Christians, we are like the bird and God’s power is like the lightning. We cannot take credit for God’s power any more than the bird can take credit for the lightning.
He chose as his personal motto, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6b).
Goforth was born on February 10, 1859, near Ontario, Canada. At a young age, he learned to love reading the Bible. People around him would find him memorizing verses and praying to God. Expected to help with the family farm, he worked a full-time job and attended school at the same time. At age 15, he was put in charge of all the operations of his family’s second farm. His father said simply, “Work hard. At harvest I’ll return and inspect.”
At age 18, Jonathan Goforth fell under great conviction over his sinfulness and need for a Savior. He gave his life to Jesus Christ. Shortly thereafter, he encountered a biography about the life of Hudson Taylor – a missionary to China – and determined to follow in Taylor’s footsteps.
Jesus Christ is coming back one day. Like Goforth’s father promised to return, so also Jesus Christ has promised to return. Are you working faithfully so that He will be pleased to see how you honored His wishes and carried on His work that He left you to do? Everything we do is able to get done only because of God’s strength. Are you relying on God’s power and grace to help you do what He’s given you to do?
Mark 13:33 – “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.”