Imagine being involved in the launch of a new TV series that was planned to launch this fall. You are not involved in writing the screen play or casting the individuals to fill the staring roles. You will be helping with the filming and editing so you are deeply involved with the project and the production crew has gathered to be introduced to the cast. This series is expected to be exciting, captivating and reveal a powerful family that will have a world-impating family line.

Everyone in the room is expecting to see a vibrant young couple stroll into the room and wow everyone with their good looks and charasmtic personalities. But when the door opens, the casting agent leads in a 75-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman. Everyone's jaws drop to the floor and there is a collective gasp that unexpectedly escapes everyone's lips. This is certainly not what is expected and definitely adds a new twist to the story.

And yet, this is what God has chosen.  His screenplay called for a couple to launch a new nation, one that would impact the entire world.  As he would say, a nation through whom “all the nations of the earth would be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

Abram and Sarai stand there, adorned perhaps by dusty old robes and crowned with wispy white hair and loosely fitting skin and as befuddled as anyone else.  God chose them to begin a nation.  An unlikely pair, especially after factoring in the fact that Sarai was barren.  How could God expect to start a nation with a woman who could not bear children?

To complicate the story line, it will be 25 more years before they actually have their child of promise.  By that time Abram and Sarai will be 100 years old and 90 years old, respectively (and their names will be changed to Abraham and Sarah).  Perhaps Social Security checks will help this special couple decorate the baby’s tent and they’ll be able take naps when the baby does.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  His story.

God picks people you and I wouldn’t necessarily select to take part in his story. In fact sometimes we are shocked who plays the starring roles in his stories.  Unlike the way we do business, he taps people, not merely because of their abilities, but for their availability.  God searches for people who are open to be used by him.  Since he uses only those who are willing to be used for his purposes, there is no doubt that it is he who is doing the wonder- working.  Let there be no doubt, throughout history he is the one making things happen.

That’s good news, isn’t it?  In the business world, you may not have a great pedigree.  In academics, you may not be a Rhodes Scholar.  You may not have a lot of money and you may have average looks.  But you may be sitting in a pretty good position to be a top pick for God’s work.