AVAILABILITY

We are given at birth "natural" ABILITIES.  As we grow and mature, we become more skillful at using these abilities.  Paul was highly schooled and highly skilled...the smartest in the land.  But God wasn't impressed with that!  What God sought from Paul was his AVAILABILITY!  Mary, the mother of Jesus, wasn't hgihly educated--not the smartest--but she AVAILED herself unto the Lord.  She responded by saying, "Be it unto me, according to Your Word!"  [Luke 1:38]  What does AVAILABILITY mean?  To make yourself useful, helpful; to be of worth; to be of benefit.  

In Acts 26:19 Paul says, "...I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision."  Not only did he make himself available, but he stayed true to the vision the Lord had personally revealed to him.  He was faithful to the end.  He had one goal in mind--to finish the course that was set before him.
He was, as we say today--"IN THE ZONE!"  I loved this line from the movie, "City Slickers"--"What's the ONE thing?"  Fellow believers, what's the ONE thing you're most passionate about; who is the ONE person you most love?

I always tried to be "perfect" (not make any mistakes)....I always tried to be "good," (I was a "goody-two-shoes"....boring), but I FAILED at both!   Paul "played-by-the-book" (The Law)--yet he, too, failed.  God knows we'll fail...God knows we can't be perfect.  All He truly asks of us are three things:  (1)  Avail yourself to Me; (2) Trust and obey Me; (3) Endure and remain faithful.

If you submit yourself to Him--avail yourself to Him--He will "do great things" in and through you.
Mary was "blessed among women"--just a simple peasant girl--handpicked by the Lord to give birth to His Only Son.  And Paul, formerly the "Hitler" of his day (who went about killing Christians)  was transformed and used by the Lord to establish His church all over the known world of that day.

AVAILABILITY is more valuable than ABILITY.  Availability is like a flawless diamond whereas ability is like coal.   Diamonds are formed in the dark and under pressure.  Both Mary and Paul suffered many dark and difficult days--but look what the Lord did for them and through them!  He transformed them into "precious stones!"

I Peter 1:6-7 - In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...