Walking with God...day by day...year by year
To quote the popular book by Robert McGee, our "search for significance" nags at us constantly. At least it nags on me.
I mentioned yesterday that no one showed up at the first breakout of our "Quiet Place" session Monday night for caregivers. A total of three came to the second breakout.
Yesterday we had Pam Money come out to speak to our neighbors on the topic "Love and Respect in Marriage." She did a wonderful job. A bunch of our volunteers came out to hear her. And yet with all of our publicity to our neighbors...who come in each day for food, clothes, etc...only two showed up.
As I escorted Pam out the door I said, "I'm sorry that more of our neighbors didn't show up. Many more said they'd come than were here." This didn't phase Pam at all. As she walked to her car she turned back to me and said, "God brought those who needed to be here." So true, Pam. So true.
Last night as I read the last part of Phil Vischer's story of the rise and fall of his Veggie Tales company, I came across some gems that spoke right to my heart about what is significant in God's eyes. As he wallowed in grief over the bankruptcy and loss of Big Ideas, the company he built for 14 years, he sensed God speaking to him through Scripture, sermons and books by Henry Blackaby. Here's one quote from Blackaby and Phil's response:
"You may have wanted to do something outstanding for God and forgot that God does not want that. He wants you to be available to Him, and more important, to be obedient to Him."
The Christian life wasn't about running like a maniac; it was about walking with God. It wasn't about impact; it was about obedience..it was about listening. As I write this , I am growing increasingly convinced that if every one of these kids burning with passion to write that hit Christian song or make that hit Christian movie or start that hit Christian ministry to change the world would instead focus their passion on walking with God on a daily basis, the world would change. What is `walking with God?' Simple. Doing what he asks you to do each and every day. Living in active relationship wtih him. Filling your mind with his Word, and letting that Word penetrate every waking moment.
I felt the Lord speaking very clearly to me through Phil Vischer's convicting words. I focus too much on "success" and not enough on walking daily with the Lord. And being content with that daily walk, even though it may not be punctuated with many spectacular moments.
You may feel like your life is a bit too routine and not having all that much impact. Whether you're raising kids, living in retirement, running a business. It may not feel all that significant or world-changing. But what power there is in a child of God who allows His Holy Spirit to work through him or her each day! Week in and month in and year in...and year out. In the midst of the routine and hum drum. In those times when we don't know if we're making that big of a difference in people's lives. Christ is still doing His work with those who quietly walk with Him each day.
These words from Ephesians 5 that I read early this morning were another reminder of the power of that daily, faithful and at times routine walk with God:
Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.
And when we follow Jesus each day and love others sacrificially and lavishly, God is surely pleased. And when I think about it, what could be more significant than pleasing the Lord.
Jim
posted by Jim Clark @ 8:10 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Jim, dear brother,
Seldom does God give us the opportunity to see the harvest He gleans. He is with us as we plant, as we water, but He is the one that brings the harvest - and sometimes we are fortunate enough to see what that harvest is. We know He will bring the harvest - we need only to plant and water, which you do every single day, and as dear Susan says, "sacrificially and lavishly each day!!
A stat that might help a bit. We all have a circle of about 250 people around us, actively in our lives. So the 2 Monday may well reach at least 500 and the 2 at Pam's presentation, another 500. We have no idea how far reaching are those ripples in the pond. But ripples there are, of that I'm sure!!
In His love, grace and mercy
K
Jim,
What may seem insignificant to us is often very significant to the Lord.
Peace and prayers
Neva
Jim,
Thanks for your words.
I'm in that the in-between state of losing a dream and realizing that I have the greatest opportunity to actually live life as intended.
I graduated last May with a Christian Ministry degree after having grown up in a ministry family all of my life. My dreams, encouraged by countless church-folk, was for a significant role in the life of the church.
Now, after fleeing church ministry and finding myself in training to become a restaurant manager I realize that the life God desires is one simply lived with him.
It is hard to let go. Significance is the right word. If you think about it, pray for me.
Grace and peace,
Jonathan
wwww.jpreding.wordpress.com
Jim-
You are not called to create successful programs, to organize events, to be successful at your job, or to be a great administrator. Your significance has really nothing to do with how many people show up at a program or how many people you have served or how many people you have baptized, no matter how important those events may be. God does not even need us to evangelize the world, He is quite capable. All the things we tend to use to gauge our significance (such as numbers...) pale in light of that true significance: "For it is by grace you have been saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God".
Your significance and mine, brother, are found in Christ. All the things we do in his service are in his hands, and he will use them all in his ways and his time. We are his workmanship, created to do good works. When you gave yourself to him in organizing a program or serving someone in the center, he was not just thinking of others but of you. God perceives your significance through Jesus-colored glasses, and the fact that you have given yourself to him is the only qualifier. I think that applies no matter what you do for employment or what you do in church.
All the things we humans tend to use to measure our significance actually arise from our significance, they don't cause it. We are hidden with Christ in God, and his death for us is the only true measurement of our significance.
Jesus died for you. I'd say that is pretty significant.
When Jerry Taylor speaks I always find something to take notes with. He always gives me bits of spiritual food to chew on later just as your comments do on this blog. Here is one such statement that fits here:
"When WE work We work......
When We pray God works."
Obrigado brother
Thanks for sharing these salient thoughts of yours and Vischer’s – all too true!
You, along with these fabulous thoughts by others who have commented, have inspired my latest post. I hope you do not mind an extension, of sorts, of the thoughts expressed here, and reference to your post is duly noted. :)
Thanks for weighing in yet again on this subject. Please feel free to 'weigh in' on my thoughts if you get time amidst your hectic schedule. I will certainly treasure your insight. These reminders of our walk with God are all too important!
Blessings always.
Thank you for your comments, dear bloggers. I've been out of town and out of the state (visting my mother) and thus have not been blogging since Wednesday).
J-Red, I pray for you right now that you you will manage a restaurant in the Jesus style, to the glory of our Lord. What tremendous impact you can have in that setting.
G'Ampa C, you always bring us back to Jesus and the cross -- our source of significance.
Deb, use my comments any time. I'm going to go read your blog.
Post a Comment
<< Home