Finished?

 "My food, said Jesus, "is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work." John 4:34....."I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." 2 Timothy 4:7

I don't remember the source of the question, but I have written down in my prayer journal, "What is the chance that we will complete the work that He's given us to do?" That's a piercing question. Do most of us even know what it is we've been called to? Somehow, in American Chrisitianity, we've reduced the life of faith to that of going to church, giving some money, and trying to live good,moral lives. We hire "professionals" to do "ministry" and behave mainly as consumers. We're interested in what the church can provide us. We look for where we feel we'll be most comfortable and satisfied. If we are willing to serve in some capacity, too often its with the attitude that we want it to be in place that feeds our ego and self-esteem. I've known many musicians, singers, teachers, and yes, preachers, who sought an audience to perform for rather than a people to serve. They want a large platform that features them far more than it does Him.

The bulk of us however are very content to sit in our cushioned pews and watch the show. We watch the worship team worship and the preacher preach. We want a satisfying church experience that pleases. We're not too concerned with whether it was transforming. The result is that in many ways, the church has fallen into the trap of trying to provide what the people want. We want them to enjoy what they come to and we want them to keep coming back. We're so targeted on whether they feel welcome that we lose sight on whether what we're doing is welcoming to the Holy Spirit. What we end up with is a group of people who profess to follow Christ but have lost all sight of where He is, on what He's doing, and where He's going. The thought that He has specific desires and commands for us as to how we live and follow Him can be lost on us.

Author Brent McCracken says that what we think we want from a church is never what we need. We were created for a purpose, not a pew. We are created to be part of His Kingdom, not for a pathway into the American Dream of a comfortable life, with good health, good kids, and an abundance of contentment. As McCracken writes, "Following Christ is not an invitation into the American Dream, but to die, to pick up a cross." We are here to display a Living Christ to a dying world. To do so will put us into some decidedly uncomfortable, even dangerous places. That's the life we're invited into and commanded to live. From start to finish, it's all about Christ, and not about us. When anyone expressed an interest in following Him, Jesus admonished them to consider the cost of doing so, and to know that He would lead them into places they wouldn't dare enter apart from Him. He called them to both extreme adventure and extreme danger. He still does. Is there anything about our faith lives that looks like that? Or, do we follow an image of a safe God who gives us a safe life? There is no such God.

I've no idea of His purpose and calling for you. The tragedy is that you may have none either. Can you, can I, say with the Lord, "My food is to do His will, to finish His work?" Can we stand with Paul at the end of life and proclaim that we have finished our course, been faithful to His call, and done what we were created for? Or, will our only recommendation be that we showed up on Sunday, put a few dollars in the plate, and tried our best to enjoy life along the way

I close with a very short exchange I had with a brother this past Sunday. He's a guitarist on our worship team, and after the service I told him how his playing had blessed me, as did the ministry of the entire team. He said he was honored and blessed to serve Him whenever he had opportunity, because he never knew when his last chance to do so would be. So should we all live. So should we all serve. To the finish!

Blessings,

Pastor O