Early in my days in the corporate world, the first time I was given a position with my own office, I hung a sign over my desk that quoted Colossians 3:23. It said, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” It often comforted me when those I was working for were severely frustrating me and trying my patience! That passage helped re-center me and remind me of what was truly important. While that sign and office are long gone, the daily reminder that verse afforded me has stuck with me throughout my life. Recently as I was exercising, a similar thought, no doubt inspired by my recollection of that verse, occurred to me. That thought was to test all of my activity by whether or not it glorifies God. This is how we can do all things as working for the Lord. Everything we do must be for Him.
I Corinthians
Preoccupied with God
I never cease to be amazed at the wisdom and relevancy of A.W. Tozer. Though he died in 1963, his writings continue to inspire and convict over fifty years later. I am convinced that the key to intimacy with God is being totally obsessed with Jesus. Until we live every moment of our lives with Him at the forefront of our thoughts, we will never discover the life He intended us to live. With that in mind, I recently read a very timely piece by Tozer. In it he said, “Only engrossment with God can maintain perpetual spiritual enthusiasm because only God can supply everlasting novelty. In God every moment is new and nothing ever gets old. Of things religious we may become tired, even prayer may weary us; but God never! … Nothing can preserve the sweet savor of our first experience except to be preoccupied with God Himself!”
Easter
At the time this article is being published, it is the day after Easter. Easter is my favorite day of the year, and arguably should be so for all followers of Jesus. Certainly Christmas is important. If Christ had never been born, He could never have died, and therefore never have risen again to defeat death and save us all. But the last part – rising again and defeating death – is the entire reason we follow Him. Plenty of important and influential men have been born throughout history. Some have even died standing up for that which they believed. But only one ever rose from the dead.
Whom Do You Trust?
In whom or what do you place your trust? Followers of Jesus are quick to answer that we trust in God alone. I wonder how true that really is for you. Who or what in your life keeps you from placing your complete trust in your Creator? I know the way I live often betrays my assertion that I trust God for everything. If I really trusted God, would I be making so many plans to eliminate as much risk as possible from my life? If my trust was complete, would I spend late nights worrying about circumstances over which I have no control?
Is This the Day?
As followers of Christ, there are a couple of things we all believe. We believe He lived, died, and rose again. We also believe He will return one day to redeem His followers. If you aren’t a believer, some of that can seem hard to swallow. But for those of us who have dedicated our lives to Jesus, these are the basic truths that are as comfortable as breathing to us. Perhaps that’s the problem. As breathing requires no conscious thought, neither does the life that so many of us claim to be living for Christ. We believe the right things, talk in the approved manner, and even attend the obligatory meetings. As living a Christian life has become second nature, we risk eternal salvation not only for ourselves but for everyone who has not yet come to Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23).