A phrase going around these days says this: I love my “job”. People say it when they get paid to do something from which they get so much pleasure. So I will chime in. I love my "job”. I love to encourage others. I love to be with people when they need a lift. I love getting together with others. I love making people think about God. I love to share what I have learned about God to help others in their spiritual lives.
Suppose, though, I lost my voice, so that I couldn’t preach or teach anymore. Suppose I went deaf and blind so that I couldn’t hear or read the Bible or other things anymore. Suppose I became bedridden, so that I couldn’t visit anymore. Suppose I lost everything that made it possible for me to do my job.
Financial problems aside, let me tell you: I would be alright. Although I would miss doing those things part of my “job”, I would be OK. Some people are devastated when they lose something like a job, because it’s such an important element in who they are. It’s part of their identity. When it’s gone, they don’t know who they are anymore.
Once, I was a pastor whose identity was tied up in his job. Things went well, I felt good about myself. Things went poorly, and I felt I was a failure. That’s hard going.
Many people think they are only good to God for what they can do. Some people reach an age where they think they are no more use to God, and so they get discouraged. Let me tell you: God doesn’t love you for what you can do for Him. He loves you because He is love. It’s really not about you; it’s about Him.
You likely didn’t have children so that you could have little people running around doing your errands. You likely had children so that you could share your love. Same thing with God. Christ didn’t come so that you could be servants of God; He came so that you could be children of God.
Sure, it’s fun to be part of what God is doing in the world today. It’s fun to be united with Him in His work. But if that stopped today, God would still love me. I am His servant, sure, but I see myself primarily as His child. Galatians 4:7 says, “Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.” That’s good news.
Suppose, though, I lost my voice, so that I couldn’t preach or teach anymore. Suppose I went deaf and blind so that I couldn’t hear or read the Bible or other things anymore. Suppose I became bedridden, so that I couldn’t visit anymore. Suppose I lost everything that made it possible for me to do my job.
Financial problems aside, let me tell you: I would be alright. Although I would miss doing those things part of my “job”, I would be OK. Some people are devastated when they lose something like a job, because it’s such an important element in who they are. It’s part of their identity. When it’s gone, they don’t know who they are anymore.
Once, I was a pastor whose identity was tied up in his job. Things went well, I felt good about myself. Things went poorly, and I felt I was a failure. That’s hard going.
Many people think they are only good to God for what they can do. Some people reach an age where they think they are no more use to God, and so they get discouraged. Let me tell you: God doesn’t love you for what you can do for Him. He loves you because He is love. It’s really not about you; it’s about Him.
You likely didn’t have children so that you could have little people running around doing your errands. You likely had children so that you could share your love. Same thing with God. Christ didn’t come so that you could be servants of God; He came so that you could be children of God.
Sure, it’s fun to be part of what God is doing in the world today. It’s fun to be united with Him in His work. But if that stopped today, God would still love me. I am His servant, sure, but I see myself primarily as His child. Galatians 4:7 says, “Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.” That’s good news.