Further musings.

Back again and looking forward to getting the remnants of a nasty cold behind me.

First of all, some mindless entertainment. We collected the classic Mercedes and noticed the radio didn't work. Now as you are all aware, the two most important parts of an old car are the radio and the heater, so we took the car in to a mechanic who is reputed to be one of the best in town. We returned a few hours later to collect the car, and good news, the radio was working fine. I asked what the problem was, and the mechanic had this weird expression on his face. This expression was a mixture of sheepish embarrassment and shameless disappointment. He goes on to explain how he had spent up to an hour working out the problem. He checked that the fuses were okay, he checked that power was getting to the unit, he took it out and checked it all over, and just couldn't figure it out. Finally, in total exasperation he decided to look in the user's manual. Under the instructions..... "to turn on the unit, please hold down the power button for two full seconds". Needless to say, I was not popular. Perhaps a moral to this story though, how many times do we spend too much time trying to work out our own problems when the answer is right there in black and white in the instruction manual!

Anyways, moving on. I've been thinking. Dangerous, I know, but necessary when on retreat. There is an interesting passage in 1 Corinthians 3 concerning how we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. From v.12 it says this.... "Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

I once heard Pastor Andrew Evans make this statement concerning this passage. "Those things we do for God that He asks us to do are the gold, silver, and precious stones. Those things we do for God that He doesn't ask us to do are the wood, hay, and straw." Now, should this be right, we have a few questions to answer. First, all of the above refer to things we do for God. That would mean that not everything we do for God has value! Our motive may be sincere, and even admirable, however if that motive is grounded in any place but hearing from God and a faith response, it is no more than dead works.

Now, before someone takes this thought as a licence to "do nothing unless God asks me to", let's first clarify what we are dealing with here. We do a lot of things in life that are not necessarily about reward. The Good Samaritan didn't stop to help the beaten man because God asked him to. Jesus said that he did so out of love. It is right and honorable to do things out of love. We serve others because we love them. It is not for reward. For example, I love the local church. I am and would be faithful to the local church because of my love for God's house. Again, if someone is in need, we meet that need not for reward, but for love.

So I wonder whether this passage is talking about something else entirely. I wonder whether this passage has more to do with "our life's work"; that which we give ourselves to; our call; our "ministry". If so, this passage suggests that not all we do for God will bring a reward. So, here's the big question: Why would we do things for God that He hasn't asked us to do? If God is not impressed with efforts that are not born out of obedience and faith towards Him, why would we do it?

Could there be aspects of what we "give our lives to" that God looks down from heaven and asks, "Why are you doing that?" We might feel that God needs us, that without us the whole organization would collapse, when God is thinking, "I already have someone to do that, would you please get out of the way so I can raise them up".

The apostle Paul is an interesting case study. When testifying before King Agrippa in Acts 26;19 he says, "Therefore King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision". Paul did those things God asked him to do. Maybe we can consider the things Paul didn't do. He didn't stay in Antioch. He didn't base himself in Jerusalem. He didn't sing on the worship team. He didn't focus on reaching the Jews. He didn't go into Asia when the Holy Spirit told him not to. He didn't lead the youth group. He didn't call himself a prophet, or a pastor, or even and evangelist - only an apostle. I would suggest that the "works" that Paul did were primarily Gold, silver, and precious stones" because he did those things God asked him to do.

So, in wrapping up, Why do we do things for God that He hasn't asked us to do?

1. I think we can get caught up in a false sense of loyalty. We start to think "God needs me". We descend from a sense of call to a false sense of responsibility. The answer is to return to God and ask Him to show us again the "heavenly vision" He has for us.

2. We see what others have done and compare ourselves with them. If our friends achieve greatness through being an evangelist, we see that as "the" pathway to greatness. If they have a great voice, we want a great voice. We begin to run "their" race. The answer is to find our own pathway. Our pathway is found directly in "those things God has asked us to do".

3. We have lost our centre. We began our race in response to God's call on our lives. We began because we "heard from God", but we are no longer doing the biz because we heard from God. The system has swallowed us up. What do to? Get away with God. You might begin with getting a cold, but eventually you will again hear that still small voice, and re-direct your life call towards the heavenly vision.

Finally, keep doing the small stuff. Love God, love others, love His church, and serve all three.

Catch you all soon.

G.