Monday, January 05, 2009

in God's project

For me after more than a week off from work it's back to the grind today. Actually back to God's good will in Jesus.

We live in God's project. It's a project bigger than any of us, but includes us all. It's neat to see how it can end up bringing so many disparate people together in ways as God builds us together in Jesus. It's a project that has nothing to do with the American dream or the way we ordinarily look at things. If I did that, which for some brief moments I did this morning, it would seem rather hopeless or at least not optimistic in some ways. But when we look at God's will revealed for us in Jesus, we can have an optimism based on the assurance in faith that God's good promises in Jesus will be fulfilled. We need to hang in there and see them worked out in the difficult places over time. And keep responding to God's grace in every circumstance.

It certainly gives plenty of assurance to know we are in God's project in Jesus. That we are a part of that. That in Jesus, what we do does make a difference through God in this world. How encouraging and reassuring!

So as I get back into the swing of it, or better stated the step and often tedious steps of it, I do so with a renewed anticipation that just as the rest was good, so the work now is good, in God's hands. That indeed, in Jesus, it's God's good project we are in, to be completed someday, but beginning and being worked out here and now.

What would you like to add to these thoughts?

6 comments:

Lanny said...

Ya hoo Ted, you bring it! For us, the Christian there is no drudgery just doing it all, as unto the Lord!!!

Work can be a pleasure a great big pleasure. It can be as celebrated as the rest. It can be as exciting, as recreating, as replenishing. But that is when it is God's project and God's calling. And his calling us out to work may very well look like a day on the calendar, or a boss on the other end of the phone line.

Have an incredible day at work! On the swing!

Anonymous said...

i am running into this theme quite a bit in blogville.

the writing is about... our work, what we do, the work of God, our work for God, and things involved in all that.

also our attitude, following the Holy Spirit, seeing and not seeing the effects of God working in our lives and in the lives of those that know us.

it really can be a lot to think about. and i see a lot of things in me and about me and about the way i live that i would like to see improve or be better. then it sets me wondering how that should happen.

i am just beginning to think that it has a lot to do with attitude, the heart, humblness, gratefulness and Love in following the Holy Spirit.

i have a nature that wants to look at the world in the way the world thinks and in the same attitude that the world has.

and i have the Holy Spirit living within me that is there to guide me in a better way.

and so the confusion is releived as i listen to the Holy Spirit.

an ongoing adjustment and fine tuning of me listening and the Holy Spirit leading.

the Holy Spirit is continually saying..."over here, nancy, follow me now, follow me, that's it, good, now come on...".

we have to keep tuning our heart and mind into the right station.

it is so easy to look around us and feel certain ways and have questions about what we should be doing compared to what we are now doing, and what does God really want for us to do.

we see destrate need of our physical, mental, and spiritual being as well as in our neighbors and in our country and in other countries.

in this age we can see what is happing around the world as easy and sometimes easier that we can see what is happening in the next block. we are aware of the need and overwhelmed with it all.

what are we to do?
we certainly can not do it alone.

we see the problems of money, food, water, basic physical needs, which also is Love. so many people do not have Love, emotional starvation.

we see the way it is all going, we see what is important.

we see from God's perspective.

we know where this is all headed.

so what can we do?
what should we do?

what are we called to do?

and are we doing it?

can we actually do what God has called us to do?

each of us must make that decision to bring our heart, mind and attitude in line...continually.


and all of us must encourage eachother to tune-in to God.
so

tune-in to God, brother.
and
God's love to you and your family.

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
psalm 63

Allan R. Bevere said...

Last night in Bible study we were looking at Psalm 90. At the end the psalmist states, "establish the work of our hands." Someone noted that she thought the writer was saying to God, "As short as this life is, please make our lives count for something; please make our lives matter."

I thought that was well said.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Lanny,
Thanks. Well, work can be tedious to me, but it's still God's project. No matter what.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Nancy,
Yes. God is good and God is with us. I like your emphasis on the Spirit. We need that as we go on in this life for God's will in Jesus and as we pray that God's kingdom would come.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Amen, Allan. I like that too!