My "purpose" isn't a job, ministry, whatever... it's relationship with You! and with Your family!

February 26, 2008

I think the key is the last line: “It is the Lord Christ you are serving” – and I think the reward is drawing into closer and closer relationship with Him as every thing we do in life is centered on Him and arises out of His love for us, and in response, our love for Him – which draws us into ever greater knowing of Him and His purposes for us… and therefore greater love for Him and obedience toward Him and serving Him in what He really wants/ purposes for us each day… and that deepens the relationship even more… I spent so many years trying to “discover my purpose” and see it in terms of a “job” or “ministry” or whatever… but now I see that what He wants in me is love – relationship – with Him! With all my heart and soul and mind and strength – and He is my inheritance and reward, far greater than any other reward could ever be!!

Also, what I see as really important in this verse is “as working for the Lord, not for men”…. That has been my great struggle at school, this year particularly, but all through my life in pretty much everything I’ve done… working for the approval of men rather than just to love You, Lord. I didn’t mean to… but worldly systems are so set up that way. – which is no surprise, of course, because they are set up by human beings – and human beings want others to obey them, they want power, they want their way… and yes, they use guilt and shame (often disguised as praise and approval! Wow! Thanks! I just saw that! – You just showed me that! It is a “disguising” of course, because the moment one does not live up to its demands, the shame and guilt kick in and the “approval” is withdrawn!)

I guess this is one of my big struggles with the whole “Christian school” thing right now – the constant striving for approval – from the Ministry of Education with those endless course outlines and overviews; from the principal who must reach those “guidelines”; from parents (and grandparents); from the board and parent’s support group; from other staff who are also struggling and need everybody to be “on board” and doing things the same way; from the students; from the people who’ve donated so much energy and money – all the “stakeholders” … all the “policies” …

And yet, if it’s really a ”Christian” school, it should really just be about You – and our relationship with You, our love for You in response to Your incredible, amazing love for us!

I wrote an email to a friend who invited us to have a meal and spend time with her family: Thank You for the wonderful day on Sunday! It was such a total blessing to be with the family of God… He was really right there among us, just loving us all together! I loved watching the love in your family, the way God is working His love among you all, and growing every one of you in Him, bringing you all together into closer and closer relationship with Him. It is so grand to see how even a “family” can be a “local church” manifesting His love to on another, because that is how it was to me as we were with you, it was so awesome just seeing God’s love uniting you, even as you go through the struggles of every day life in this fallen world! And that love among you just reached out and enveloped us too! So awesome! Thank You for sharing your life with us! For sharing God’s life in your life with us!

And oh, Father! Thank You for sharing Your life, Your love, with all of us, enveloping, wrapping us in You – Father, Son, Holy Spirit – God Almighty! God of Love! Thank You! Amen!