We have been trying to build up a healthy spiritual life based on a balanced diet…bible, prayer, community and stewardship and today we look at the last kind of exercise – service to others.
One of the most exciting aspects of learning to live as a follower of Jesus is the realization that we are invited to join with God in doing real work. We are part of a grand vision called the Kingdom of God.
In the 17th century, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London was being rebuilt after a fire.
It was being designed by a great Architect, Sir Christopher Wren.
A team of visitors was touring the construction in progress, and kept stopping to ask workers what they were doing. Various workers were asked, and answered simply, “I’m digging a hole, obviously.” or “I’m hauling stones, thank you for asking”.
But a third one, doing the same kind of labour, answered quite differently. He said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren build a great cathedral.”
That many had a sense of vision. Even though he played a small part, he knew it was important.
We long to know that our lives have meaning and significance. We want to do meaningful work.
As followers of Jesus, we are helping the Architect of the Universe rebuild a ruined world.
We may have a small part, but we fit into the big plan.
In the Bible we discover that God is at work in every part of human life, that God is at work drawing the whole world to him AND amazingly we learn that we were created to work with God….
The creator of the universe is inviting us into partnership, a partnership in the transformation of the world. This partnership is called ministry, doing the work of God in the world, the work that God calls us to do and for which God has given each of us gifts. True fulfillment in life is to be found in discovering our personal place in God’s work and learning how to do it.
Learning to recognize God at work and finding our place in God’s work constitutes one of the most important aspects of Christian growth. The work that God calls us to is carried out on two fronts—within the Christian community and within the wider world. God has hopes and dreams for both the Christian community (that we would be salt and light—a working model you will remember) and God has hopes and dreams for the whole world….that everyone would know about God’s love and mercy.
Question: Do you think that your occupation(s) (work, study, homemaking, looking for work, volunteering, etc.) are significant to God? Why or why not?