Work, Integrated
"And whatever you doing word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17
"Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." Colossians 3:22-23
As conveyed in Lincoln and the Power of the Press, a writer that was a contemporary of the President's said, "Lincoln means to sync the man and the public officer."
So does God's Word. Consider the continuity of Paul's inspired words in Colossians 3. The 17th verse is a delighted catchall, insisting that Christ's character can go public in whatever it is we do. And what sort of character is Christ's? The character by which He served the Father gladly, and still does. Christ is positioned, reminds Paul, so that we still give thanks to the Father through Christ. His office, his job, his function delightfully undertaken day after day, garbled praise and prayer request after garbled praise and prayer request, is Mediator and Intercessor.
Paul then lays out the results in Earthly relationships of our increased awareness of such connected continuity with the Father. As we start the workday, though, let us quickly consider the vocational implications. Convinced in our hearts that our people and inconsistent gratitude goes to the Father through Christ Who has standing before Him, how compellingly backlit is our work? Because we know who we are in Him, that by Him we are welcomed into the Fellowship of the Trinity, the work that overflows can approach sincerity. We work knowing He always sees, that He is coming, and His reward is with Him.
As we grow in confidence of the integration of His creation, and of His grace, and justice, and mercy covering every work we will undertake, we can be freed from divided attention. Without this confidence in Him, Paul is right. Our heads would be on a swivel, probing every scene in which we work to see if our best deeds are observed, and our weakest efforts properly hidden. Because Christ is One in our work and our more obvious worship, we can approach both in holy fear. We can trust Him to sync the man and the public officer to His ultimate purposes so that He can truly speak over us his, "Well done!"
"Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God." Colossians 3:22-23
As conveyed in Lincoln and the Power of the Press, a writer that was a contemporary of the President's said, "Lincoln means to sync the man and the public officer."
So does God's Word. Consider the continuity of Paul's inspired words in Colossians 3. The 17th verse is a delighted catchall, insisting that Christ's character can go public in whatever it is we do. And what sort of character is Christ's? The character by which He served the Father gladly, and still does. Christ is positioned, reminds Paul, so that we still give thanks to the Father through Christ. His office, his job, his function delightfully undertaken day after day, garbled praise and prayer request after garbled praise and prayer request, is Mediator and Intercessor.
Paul then lays out the results in Earthly relationships of our increased awareness of such connected continuity with the Father. As we start the workday, though, let us quickly consider the vocational implications. Convinced in our hearts that our people and inconsistent gratitude goes to the Father through Christ Who has standing before Him, how compellingly backlit is our work? Because we know who we are in Him, that by Him we are welcomed into the Fellowship of the Trinity, the work that overflows can approach sincerity. We work knowing He always sees, that He is coming, and His reward is with Him.
As we grow in confidence of the integration of His creation, and of His grace, and justice, and mercy covering every work we will undertake, we can be freed from divided attention. Without this confidence in Him, Paul is right. Our heads would be on a swivel, probing every scene in which we work to see if our best deeds are observed, and our weakest efforts properly hidden. Because Christ is One in our work and our more obvious worship, we can approach both in holy fear. We can trust Him to sync the man and the public officer to His ultimate purposes so that He can truly speak over us his, "Well done!"
Comments
Post a Comment