WATCHWORD:
31And all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished … 34 And they understood none of these things”. Luke 18:31, 34
Meditation:
Baffling?
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed an unmitigated disaster. Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death. He led every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. We may not fully understand the meaning of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, yet, God’s purpose is never man’s purpose. Do we need to understand all things? Or, do we simply need to worship Him?
I wonder if we understand even the basic meaning of words and phrases coming from God? Have we read too much into some of those passages that we rely on, and, yet, we understand “none of these things”? Take for example phrases like; “Pray without ceasing”, or “Lay down your life for your friend”, or one that is as simple as “Good works”. What is God telling us, really? These are what Oswald Chambers calls “the baffling call of God.”
For me, the phrase “good works” implies a lot of heavy lifting – work. I grew up in a home where my father was a dedicated Congregational minister, my grandfather was one generation removed from strict German Lutheranism, and my uncles were or had been missionaries ‘working’ in China. This little boy came away with the impression that ‘good works’ meant labor, under harsh conditions, and not a lot of fun, all well beyond a child’s imagining.
As an adult, I can look back and wonder if the focus on ‘good works’, simply meant spending countless hours in church, preparing sermons, organizing community meals, visiting the sick, etc. It never seemed to have the meaning of playing with the children. Without Croquet in our backyard, I doubt if we would have had much play-time with our parents. The thought does come to me; was the focus of a total commitment to ‘good works’ a for of worship? Was it worshiping God in all that was done?
As believers in Jesus as Lord, we should know that ‘works’ that glorify the Christ occurs in whatever you’re doing; eating our meals, doing the laundry, greeting friends in the hallways, everyday tasks of living, and, yes, worshiping on Sunday, all ‘Good works’, done to the glory of God. Amazingly, when that is the focus, you find yourself in a form of “praying without ceasing”, through a sense of peace and a touch of joy, and a willingness to reach-out beyond yourself in the interest of others. That was God’s plan all along, and it’s not baffling at all. Praise the Lord!
Walk with Me, Lord:
Help me, Lord, to walk in the good works you have in store for me. Help me to be open to all that you would have me do. Teach me to see my whole life as you see it. By your Spirit, may I come to see every moment of every day as an occasion to do good works—including good work—for you. Amen.
