A Lightbulb Moment

One of the delights (for us) of a time of home assignment is being around to participate in the worship and teaching of our sending church... sitting once again under the teaching, leading, example and influence of men and women who've impacted our lives and who've so invested in each ministry in which we participate (within our family and in Niger). While we can't attend every service or special event due to our own traveling and speaking schedule, we try to be there as much as is feasible.

I particularly appreciated Sunday School last weekend...

"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ...we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

~ 1 Corninthians 3.3, 9-15

During Sunday School, we were actually studying a passage in Judges (that's another post, for another day), but these verses came up briefly, probably because our senior pastor was preaching on them later, during the worship service. They are verses that I've heard taught several times, but this time was a light bulb moment: this passage DOES NOT refer to the security of our salvation or to a giving of account for our sins... those terrible, costly sins are paid in full, as far from us as the east is from the west... because of God's amazing mercy and grace, because Jesus paid the price with His sacrifice. Rather, God is reminding us that we WILL give an account FOR WHAT WE DO with:

• the life...
• the time...
• the teachable or teaching moments...
• the family...
• the gifts...
• the finances...
• the talents...
• the health...
• the lack of health...
• the testings...
• the challenges...
• the pain...
• the joy...
• the opportunities...

with which HE HAS BLESSED US. Are we redeeming those, investing in those works that will abide, eternally? Or are we wasting those, spending precious resources in work that will be burned?

It is a challenging question, one that I need to ask myself, moment by moment as I go throughout my day. I wonder, in that day, whether or not I will be surprised by the results when I stand before my Lord... if those "great accomplishments" are so consumed that not even the ashes remain because of my wrong motivations ~ seeking the approval of others, my pride, my arrogance... On the other hand, even things that seem simple and mundane ~ the giving a simple cup of cold water or the early morning petitions of a faithful prayer warrior ~ that reap eternal reward for they have been done for God alone... His glory... in Jesus name...