God’s Minutemen

David JeremiahBy David Jeremiah4 Minutes

During the American Revolution, a group of civilian colonists organized themselves into militia units that could mobilize very quickly if needed. They became known as the Minutemen because of their constant state of readiness. They didn’t need time to find their musket or powder; everything was kept in readiness. We should be God’s minutemen, hopeful and ready in season and out of season.

The terms in season and out of season represent agricultural language. In the fall, apples are in season and are ready to be plucked fresh from the trees. The rest of the year, they’re out of season, but we still need to tend the orchards. Throughout my years of pastoring, I’ve noticed that some periods of ministry seem more fruitful than others, but whether revival is in season or out of season, we need to be ready for God to use us.

That means we are to be ready the instant we’re called upon. In Mark 3, Jesus drew one of the largest crowds of His ministry, which put Him in jeopardy of being trampled by the mob. The Lord devised an escape route should He need it – a water evacuation. Mark 3:9 says, “So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.”

He needed just a small boat, perhaps seldom used, perhaps tied at the dock and used by only the youngest fishermen. But on that day, the little boat was kept reserved for the Master’s use, constantly ready to transport Him if needed and to do His bidding. We should be like that small boat, set aside and ready for any opportunity to serve our Lord.

Being ready in an instant also means we’re prepared to move quickly to meet a need.

Paul himself lived in a state of hopeful readiness. When his friends tried to dissuade him from going to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary tour, he told them, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13 NIV). God uses those who are ready to obey Him instantly, whenever, whatever, wherever He bids us.

We must also be ready with our knowledge of the Scriptures. When we devote ourselves to its study, we’re preparing ourselves to be used by God, having the truth of His Word deep in our hearts, ready to share it with whomever He places in our pathway.

A spirit of revival also makes us ready to give an answer to those who ask us about Christ. Peter wrote, “Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). When we live in perpetual readiness for opportunities to share Christ, we find they come to us regularly, and we never know when a day will afford a rich opportunity to speak a word for Him. Let’s be God’s minutemen and trust Him to use us. Remain hopeful and be ready at every instant to serve Him in season and out of season.