In pursuit of Life.
Jesus said to his followers, "First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life." Matt 8:22 MSG
It seems hard to imagine that Christ would have to remind us to make our business life. You would have thought that this would be our natural inclination. But often we can’t see the nose on our face (… is that even a saying?! I’m not sure, but it’ll do).
Now this does not mean that we can neatly divide life into the ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’, therefore aiming to make our lives more ‘sacred’, as if one brings ‘life’ and the other ‘death’. Life is not about compartments, it is about companionship.
“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God.” 2 Pet 1:3 MSG
We can fill in a tax return or write a dissertation [‘as unto the Lord’] and it is pleasing to God, becoming ‘sacred’ because we are in His company. Similarly we can be in church out of routine, with no intention/expectation to meet or encounter God, and so this religious event suddenly becomes a ‘secular’ activity since [for us] it would be devoid of the divine.
We are called to follow Christ, to live obediently to his commands. This will not always lead us to Bible college, but it does lead us into God’s presence with every step of life we take. Involving God more, keeping company with Him, our lives become increasingly sacred (not boring or dead but full of life and pleasure) – what greater joy is there?!
“How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.” Ps 112:1-2 NLT
It seems hard to imagine that Christ would have to remind us to make our business life. You would have thought that this would be our natural inclination. But often we can’t see the nose on our face (… is that even a saying?! I’m not sure, but it’ll do).Now this does not mean that we can neatly divide life into the ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’, therefore aiming to make our lives more ‘sacred’, as if one brings ‘life’ and the other ‘death’. Life is not about compartments, it is about companionship.
“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God.” 2 Pet 1:3 MSG
We can fill in a tax return or write a dissertation [‘as unto the Lord’] and it is pleasing to God, becoming ‘sacred’ because we are in His company. Similarly we can be in church out of routine, with no intention/expectation to meet or encounter God, and so this religious event suddenly becomes a ‘secular’ activity since [for us] it would be devoid of the divine.
We are called to follow Christ, to live obediently to his commands. This will not always lead us to Bible college, but it does lead us into God’s presence with every step of life we take. Involving God more, keeping company with Him, our lives become increasingly sacred (not boring or dead but full of life and pleasure) – what greater joy is there?!
“How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.” Ps 112:1-2 NLT
posted by Andrew at 7:29 am
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