“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
And then there are those days when the familiar becomes fresh revelation! Yesterday was one of those days for me.
Shannan and I should be sporting our roadie patches after logging more than 10,000 miles since December. During this stretch, with a few exceptions, we have been away from Wheatland Pres, our church home.
Oh, and for the record, when it comes to Sunday and churches, stay right where you are. I’m providing context here, not coaxing you from your church family to ours.
Back to Wheatland and Sunday.
Wheatland Presbyterian Church has been a gift since Shannan and I moved from South Florida and Spanish River Church, the church I love and served for more than 13 years, to Lancaster, PA. Wheatland is caring pastors and people, casual atmosphere, deeply rooted in the Scriptures, diligently connected in the city — and liturgical. As our pastor, Luke Le Duc says, “We don’t wear it on our sleeves.”
Mind you, of the 206 bones in my body, none of them are liturgical.
I was born in the Christian Reformed Church (but I was too young to remember), grew up Southern Baptist, attended a non-denominational Bible College, and during those days served a variety of churches from a break-off from the Church of Christ (no instruments) to Methodist to Independent Baptist before moving back to Florida to plant a non-denominational church, before (decades later), finally making my way to Spanish River (Presbyterian) Church in Boca, which, despite being a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (like Wheatland) was distinctively NOT “liturgical.”
So here we were, congregation united in the Word and the Lord’s Supper, standing together for our Prayer of Thanksgiving. Remember, liturgy! This prayer is seven lines and an “Amen.” I’ve prayed it every Sunday we have been at Wheatland, but . . . there are those days when the familiar becomes fresh revelation. Yesterday was one of those days. Here’s the prayer and the line of it that was God’s 2x4 for my head:
Everliving God, thank you for feeding us with these holy mysteries—
the spiritual food of the Body and Blood of your Son.
Heavenly Father, please assist us with your grace,
that we may continue in holy fellowship with you,
and do all such good works that you have prepared for us to walk in;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Sprint,
be all honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.
There it was. I was a stone’s throw from Monday and a week of work ahead of me: Meetings, readings, writings, a trip to D.C., one-on-ones and big-group gatherings, easy stuff, hard stuff, the regular week-at-work stuff.
But its not “just work,” it is good work, in fact, good workS which God has been in the heavenly kitchen cookin’ up for me before time began. And this week—THIS WEEK—he wants me to walk in them with that kind of heavenly mindset.
As C.S. Lewis said in The Weight of Glory, “you have never met a mere mortal.” To that end, we never really engage in “mere work.” It is seasoned and sautéed in the heavenly kitchen so as we serve it up it comes with the aroma of the God of grace and peace.
To that end, here are five thoughts to embrace and engage the good work from God this week:
Stop worrying about someone else’s work. This was Peter’s problem. As Jesus prepared to return to the Father, Peter pulled Jesus aside, “Hey Lord, what about him?” Peter was referring to John. Jesus’ answer: “What is that to you? You must follow me” (John 21:22). Good work for God begins when I stop looking over the fence at the other guy and buckle down to the discern and do the work God has for me.
Stop looking back at what coulda/shoulda been! My daily reading this time of the year takes me through Israel’s journey to the Promised Land. There is a big difference between remembering the past to reorient ourselves to God and his goodness and living in the past, i.e. getting stuck in what I had, what someone did, what I missed, or where I might be if only . . ., The coulda/shouldas are soul-crippling, joy-stealing, time-wasting tools of the evil one. God has good work for you to do TODAY.
Choose stewardship over star-power. There is much talk today about being a “social media influencer.” How many followers one needs to move from lowly pawn on the social media chess board to nano influencer, to micro influencer to a bona fide influencer. It’s really kind of funny. It calls to mind a poem a friend gave me years ago:
“You may have tangible wealth untold,
caskets of jewels and coffers of gold,
richer than I you can never be.
I had a mother who read to me.”
You need not be a “social media influencer” to influence. Just start where you are and watch what God does. Most times, the “little stuff” is the really important stuff of influence.When Paul writes to the Colossians about his role he says, “I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship from God given to me for you . . .” (Colossians 1:25). Wouldn’t our homes, churches, and places of business be much better if there were more servants exercising stewardship than people vying to be bona fide “influencers”?
Focus on what is most important! Solomon said, “It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices” (Proverbs 19:21 NET). A few moments thinking and praying about one’s day — “God, of all the things I could do, help me clarify the “must do” and “should do” and attack that with zeal” — goes a long way to help me avoid the dangerous: “Ready, FIRE, aim!”
Make sure my heart is reoriented to God’s purpose. There is much made of finding one’s purpose these days (an important effort indeed). This morning, making my way though Paul’s letter to the Colossians, God reminded me of the purpose behind “my purpose.” Paul writes, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16 NET). Game changer!
You have probably have heard the story of three guys working away in days gone by. They had the same job — breaking rocks that would provide the foundation and face for a cathedral under construction. A passerby stopped to ask what each was doing.
First worker (with a scowl): “What does it look like, I’m busting rocks!”
Second worker (with a philosophical wink): “I am making a living my friend. Just making a living.”
Third worker (with a deep sigh and a broad smile): “Ah, I am building a cathedral for the glory of God!”
How about you? God’s got good work for YOU to do . . . today! How will you approach it? Working though him and for him makes all the difference.
Heavenly Father, please assist us with your grace,
that we may continue in holy fellowship with you,
and do all such good works that you have prepared for us to walk in;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Sprint,
be all honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.