How can I serve God best today? It’s a question each of us should ask at the beginning of each day. The way we frame our days determines how we live our lives. If we wait for life to just happen to us, we will constantly be in a reactionary mode, and this is not the optimal way to live. Reacting results in circumstances dictating our own actions. A better way to live is to proactively and intentionally influence what circumstances will actually occur in our life. Remember the old saying that the best defense is a good offense? That sports analogy works well in life. We want to make our lives happen rather than wait for things to happen to us. As followers of Jesus, the absolute best way we can do this is to determine ahead of time how we will impact our world for Christ each day.
Psalms
The Currency of Time
A great many of us spend the majority of our lives pursuing money. It’s not that we necessarily are ruled by it (though many are), but it is accepted as one of the basic needs of life. We need money to purchase the things we need to survive. Life is so much more than money and the endless pursuit of it can easily cause you to trust it, rather than God, to provide for your needs. There is a higher currency with which we should be far more obsessed. That is the currency of time. Time is far more finite, and infinitely more valuable, than money. How we spend our time reveals where our true treasure lies.
Number Your Days
Psalm 90:12 instructs us to number our days. When we understand that our time on this planet is limited, we can begin to live with a greater sense of urgency and purpose. All of us realize that we will die someday, but few of us live like we believe it. We spend our days engaged in trivial pursuits and sleepwalking through our nights as if there will always be another. Many have resigned themselves to the mediocrity of conformity and accept the notion that as long as they are comfortable and able to “get by”, then life is good and they are doing enough. This isn’t the “abundant” life promised by Jesus, so why are we so willing to settle for it?
Deliverance
Have you ever had periods in your life where you felt like you could relate to Job? There are seasons in all of our journeys where, to the best of our knowledge we are following well, yet everything seems to be crumbling around us. Maybe a job loss or financial difficulty will arrive. Perhaps we will lose someone close to us or have an internal battle threaten to rage out of control. We are doing the things God told us to do but still our lives seem to be spiraling downward and picking up speed. These are the times of character refinement, and it is these moments that determine our true loyalty. Will we give up because it is too hard? Or will we say with Job, “The Lord gives and He takes away… I will never curse my friend” (Job 1:21-22; Job 2:9-10)?
Zeal
Zeal is an interesting word. Scriptures tell us that zeal for God’s house consumed Jesus (Psalm 69:8-9; John 2:17). We see it played out when Jesus tossed the merchants and money changers out of the temple (John 2:13-17). In doing so, I believe Jesus set an example as to how we should react to things that stand in contrast to God’s design. While tolerance is preached today, Jesus demonstrated none of it towards those who were blatantly ignoring and abusing God’s commands. When was the last time you were so consumed by zeal for God that you took action regardless of what people thought and without thinking of any possible ramifications?