Tag Archives: Colossians 3:23

The first page of your new year

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Today is the first page of a 365 page story, the story of your life in 2015.

 

 

Maybe you have some idea of what you want to be part of this year’s story. You have hopes and dreams for what you will accomplish. Likely, there will be surprises that will suddenly appear on your pages. But even when the pages turn unexpectedly, you remain in control of what is written on them. How you respond to life determines your story more than the actual events that transpire. So how will you write this year of your life?

 

You could just wait and see what happens, live life as it comes to you. Que será, será. Put life on autopilot and see where it takes you. Let the spinning wheel spin and see where it stops. It’s easy to get caught up on the merry-go-round, distracted by all the lights and music. Before you know it, a day, a week, a month, a year, a life has passed…without purpose.

 

You could take charge, set your goals, plan extensively, and live with great focus. I tend to be a goal-setter and planner so I suppose I easily fall into this category. I tend to think it is good to ‘count the costs’ and plan well. In the parable of the talents, Jesus praised those who invested well. We too should invest our time well and also our other resources. But sometimes, the best of plans have to be set aside and new strategies adopted. You had intended to write one thing in your book of life, but life itself changes the direction of the next page and chapter.

 

There is a third, more profitable way to write the story of 2015 and that is to devote the year, all of it, to the glory and honor of God. “Whatever you do, do it as unto The Lord” for His purpose and His glory. (Colossians 3:23). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14)

 

God delights in you and He wants to show you the way to go in this new year. He longs for your joy. Shouldn’t your story be all about Him? How do you do that? Make sure each page of 2015 be filled with three things:

 

Rejoicing – God is good. He will always be with you.
Praying – Talk with God throughout the day. Spend some time listening.
Giving thanks – Find reason to give thank every single day.

 

Write a great story in 2015!  Fill your pages with these things and enjoy a wonderful new year!

 

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

 

Well done!

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Well done, good and faithful servant! Matthew 25:23

 

We all long to be praised even if sometimes we are embarrassed. Deep inside we long for a life of faith that is lived well.

 

But we get side tracked. Our attention turns to the bills, the never-ending chores, the constant demands on our time. Just keeping our head above water seems like a challenge. Where do we find time or energy to do more? Fortunately, the answer is not found in doing more but in doing whatever we do well:

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23

 

What His Word really says is that we should enjoy His presence in everything we do. Enjoy Him when you get dressed, when you brush your teeth. Let your joy over His goodness spill over the way you work; let it overflow onto those you encounter. Be purposeful in your interactions with His love, truth and grace in mind. Rest in His presence that restores you, not in recreation that leaves you ‘wrecked.’ Remember also, sometimes the answer to living a life of faith and honor is in doing nothing, but in waiting on God:

 

Wait on the Lord. Psalm 27:14

 

Be honest, waiting is a hassle! We wait for the coffee to brew, we wait for the end of the day, we wait for our paycheck to come, we wait and wait for the answer to prayers. We hate waiting. But in waiting, we stop tapping our toes impatiently and start to silently bow our heads. Waiting makes us humble and draws us closer to the God who lifts us up, the God we so desperately need. We are eager to press forward with our own plans and efforts. But waiting on God’s timing and providence ultimately reveals more of who He is. We sometimes think we can wait no longer, but we can, because:

 

We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

 

It doesn’t seem that way. Life beats us up just as Jesus said it would. Maybe you sometimes feel more defeated and enslaved by suffering than victorious over it. Me too. I wish I could tell you the secret to making suffering end right now. But it won’t. You don’t want to hear it, but the truth is, the immense weight of suffering we feel now will appear light compared to the glory of God that will be revealed through it and in fact produced by it. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

 

Believe it, not because it’s easy, but because it’s true. Even though pain shouts at us, God speaks loudly through His whisper of grace and peace. So, let’s cast our anxieties aside and focus on the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living:

 

Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Philippians 4:8

 

And rest in peace, good and faithful servant.

 

 

The Integrated (Not Balanced) Life

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Have you ever tasted two cakes made from the same recipe and discovered that one is much tastier and more satisfying to the appetite than the other? Or gone to the same restaurant and ordered the same meal at two different times and discovered what a difference the touch of the chef makes?

As much as we often talk about having the right ‘ingredients’ in our life or the proper “life balance”, I’ve often struggled with that concept actually working very effectively. We try to get “enough” of this and that in our lives: enough work, enough family time, enough time for chores and hobbies, hopefully some quiet time, time with friends, time with God, and time to reflect on the impact of our life and our dreams. And it IS wise to make sure we prioritize our thoughts and actions to make sure these vital elements aren’t robbed by other worthless endeavors. But have you ever felt this ‘balancing’ act leaves life feeling torn apart into pieces rather than made peacefully whole?

Wilbur Reese wrote a tongue in cheek poem years ago about wanting to buy just three dollars worth of God:
Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep,
But just enough to equal a cup of warm milk, or a snooze in the sunshine.
Just ecstasy, not transformation.
The warmth of the womb, not a new birth.
A pound of the eternal in a paper sack.
(Excerpts)

We might be better to replace the ambition of a perfectly balanced and compartmentalized life with a blended, integrated life, lived with one purpose throughout our various activities, a life of integrity and passion, intentionality and consistency. As Myron Rush pointed out, the enemy’s greatest lie is to convince us we can separate our ‘secular’ and our spiritual lives with a little bit of one and so much of that. The truth is we have just one life to live fully and with consistency.

Like making bread or cakes, the FULL amount of ingredients of life must be blended, not just ‘balanced in proper proportions.

“Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:23