Colossians 3:15-17
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Timothy and Zola have been staying with us for the better part of 4 days and three nights, while their mother has been under the weather. One night as we settled into bed, I said to Timothy, “Let’s say our prayers. What should we say to God?” Timothy instantly replied, “Let’s thank God for EVERYTHING!” And so we did. We sang our hearts out to God as we thanked Him for Timothy and Zola… their parents, their brother Nathan, their grandparents and great-grandparents and others – including Timothy’s teachers and friends at his new pre-K. Then Timothy thanked God for his Uncle Greg, Aunt Debbie, Lucy and Mabel (the cats), and he said, “God, thank you for letting me stay with Uncle Greg and Aunt Debbie. Thank you for letting me get to come here and play with my toys and see all my friends (his dinosaurs).” It doesn’t get much sweeter than that!
Here’s the thing…Greg and I never had children of our own. Somehow God saw fit to involve us quite actively in the lives of these three little ones… our great-nephews and niece. We do not take this lightly. Our roles in their lives are in direct response to the Master, Jesus… and He guides us every step of the way. I don’t know why God thought we would be suitable for this… but I’ve learned not to question His plans too much. I reminded myself today as Timothy and I headed to Wal-Mart for groceries (while Zola napped at home under Uncle Greg’s careful watch) that there are things “in the works” here that we cannot see and may never understand. Best-selling author Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) wrote in My Utmost for His Highest for September 6th… “A river reaches places which its source never knows.” Chambers explained that Jesus’ “rivers of living water” will flow from us and bless others even beyond any visible effects we may ever realize. He concluded… “God rarely allows a person to see how great a blessing he is to others.”
There are two profound thoughts here… 1) that we, like rivers, reach places beyond what we will ever know; and 2) that God rarely allows us to see the full impact of what we do in His name. Sit and think about these thoughts for a while. Let them really resonate with your heart. Consider the responsibility of each choice we make… in light of the ripple/river effect that it has – on us and on others. Do you see how important it becomes that we cultivate the peace of Christ in our heart, an attitude of thankfulness, and a heart for the message of Jesus? Can you even begin to appreciate the potential impact that every detail of our lives – words, actions, reactions, and gestures great and small – can have on others… and on the Kingdom of Heaven? When you choose to go one direction… and God chooses to send you another… what do you do? How you answer this makes all the difference.
Are you making wise choices? Are you serving God obediently and with your whole heart? Have you cultivated an attitude of thankfulness to God in all things and for all outcomes – both those you see and those you don’t? Are God’s “rivers of living water” flowing from you? Are you offering God the opportunity bless others through you? Isn’t it time you did?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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