Being useful for God (and not just talking about it)


I was reminded today in church (yet again) that we are called to make a difference in the world. It's sometimes said that Christians are so spiritually minded as to be of no earthly use!

This shouldn't be. Gen 1:28-30 explains that God gave Adam the earth and everything in it, for Adam to rule over. Matt 5:13-14 explains that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Habakkuk 2: 14 says that "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea". The Lord's prayer's first request is that "[God's] will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".

One of my favourite verses Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do". Obviously, God has expectations of what we are to do in the time we have on earth.

1. Don't get caught up in the mundane

Pastor encouraged us to be bold and zealous in doing the work of advancing the kingdom of God. I think the enemies of zeal are the thorns of life which choke the word of God and prevent it from flourishing - see Matt 13:22.

It's easy to get caught up in the minutiae of life. Life is full of small issues and worries that, if unchecked, will occupy every nook and cranny of our time. We will NEVER have enough time to do everything. But since we have decided to believe Jesus, then we should make sure to stake out His territory in our lives i.e. everywhere! If we have decided to do something for Jesus, make that a priority. Do it now. Make a space in your diary. Let. Nothing. Push. That. Commitment. Away.

2. Look outward

I thought of using the example of establishing quiet time as one of the commitments that we should set as a priority. But as I wrote this, I realised that being salt of the earth and light of the world means more than that. Quiet time is important, but it is also essential to look outward. Beyond ourselves, beyond our immediate family even. So stop a second and think:
  • How useful am I being, as God's instrument, to the people around me?
  • Am I being so caught up in work or domestic matters that I have no time for anything else?
  • Can it be that God has put me in an office where I have no purpose for Him except to provide for the family?
  • Or in a church where He has no agenda for me other than turning up on Sunday?
  • Or in the big wide world, where my only role is to be a good Dad?
  • Since believers and non-believers alike try their best to be good workers and good parents, think about "how am I doing this work in a way that glorifies God?"
3. Do something about it now

And don't stop with just thinking. Don't just think or talk about doing something, or why it's so difficult, or why we can only start next week. Decide and do something. Start small if we have to, but don't get stuck in first gear interminably. If we fail, so what? Start again. Better than endlessly thinking and talking about it and never actually doing it.

Let's rise above the mediocre Christian life and "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked our for us." Heb 12:1

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