It may be just one thing, but I suspect it is more like one life
By Dean Collins
We often romanticize the idea that we were put on earth to accomplish one specific thing. You may have heard, as I have, that some particular thing you did or are doing is your “for such a time as this” moment. I won’t dispute that some of those moments exist, but I suspect it would be wiser simply to think of each moment as a moment God can use to accomplish his glory and his purpose in and through us.
Twice in 1 Chronicles 28:10 David gives a charge to his son Solomon regarding his assignment to build the temple. David’s desire was to build a house for God. God responded that he would allow a house to be built, but David was not the one to do it. Solomon received the assignment. David planned it, and through the wealth and resources God provided, he resourced the project. Solomon was the one to make it happen.
‘He will not leave you or forsake you’
We learn in 28:10 and in 28:20 that David told Solomon to be careful, strong, and courageous: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed,” he said, “for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.”
This type of admonition is common for the saints of God and is repeated over and over again in both the Old and the New Testaments. We need to be careful that we don’t add some Western or American self-reliance to our understanding of how God calls us to serve. God did not tell his saints to toughen up, do their best, dig deep, or find the strength from within to complete their various assignments. What he did say was that as we abide in him, he will provide the wisdom, strength, courage, and resources to accomplish the assignments we are given. There’s a big difference between us doing it and God doing it through us.
‘Apart from me you can do nothing’
In John 15 Jesus was clear that we are the branches and not the vine. The vine provides the nourishment to the branches so they can produce much fruit. Jesus specifically said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We can do many things, but godliness and God’s will can be accomplished only through the power of God’s Spirit at work in us.
‘Work heartily, as to the Lord’
The apostle Paul gives us at least three different admonitions similar to the one David gave Solomon.
In Philippians 1:6 Paul says he is sure “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” What encouraging news! God will accomplish his purposes through us when Christ returns. We may or may not see the fruit or certainly all the fruit of our work, but we can rest assured that God will accomplish his purposes in us as we stay surrendered to him.
In Ephesians we are reminded that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them. Note the emphasis on us as the workmanship or poetry of God. God took great joy in creating us. Our work for him is our offering back to him in gratitude for what he did for us.
Finally, in Colossians 3 we learn from Paul that whatever we do, we are called to work heartily, as to the Lord and not for men. God is honored and his purposes are accomplished when we daily offer ourselves to God. And all of our work can and will be used to extend God’s kingdom as we stay rooted in him.
Father, thank you for creating us in your image. Thank you for the gift of life that comes through Jesus. We surrender ourselves and our work to you today. Accomplish your purposes in us and through us so that others might experience your grace and mercy today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
1 Chronicles 28:10, 20; Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:10; John 15:5; Colossians 3:23-24 ESV
Photo by Fausto Marqués on Unsplash
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