WHATEVER!!

Colossians 3:23 "whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than men."

Whatever?  Then why do I concern myself so much with WHAT that whatever is?  As Christians who desire to really know God, the Bible gives guidelines about what activities are worthy of prioritizing in our lives. Of course, the priority number one is time communicating with the Lord. How can I know Him if I don't spend time talking and listening to Him?

When I spend this time, the Holy Spirit brings things to my mind and gives me a desire to include certain activities in my schedule and life. As I grow closer to the Lord, some things just don't seem to "fit" who I am anymore -- who am in Christ.

I knew this scripture during the season I was raising my children. It was easy--most of the time--to see my work was something I did "as unto the Lord." What could be more important than raising my children to know Jesus? This job had eternal purpose to it!! Eternal importance.

Even during the years I worked in law firms, Colossians 3:23 was on my mind. It was a daily struggle to keep an attitude of working "as unto the Lord." What value did my work have?  This was a battle I never really won. Certain days, I'd plan and order my work with the idea in mind of simply "serving" my bosses and therefore, doing it as unto the Lord. Other days, I just got frustrated with the culture of adversarial litigation and greed. I failed more than I succeeded.

It's easier now that I am retired--or is it? Certainly I have more time for studying the Bible and prayer and more time to choose my own activities. I see influencing my grandchildren as my mission and my calling. But there are SO many things I want to do. Am I doing enough? Many times I fear that others will not see my life as worthwhile. The hustling American culture does not place value on the retired life. The church culture often does not either. Where is the appreciation for the abiding life? Where is the Sabbath rest that God promised? 

I now see that  in any situation or activity, I do it unto the Lord by just "being" in that circumstance --being who I am--who God created me to be. Psalm 19:1 says that "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." Just by sparkling in the sky - the stars are doing what they were created to do - the stars give glory to God.  A wave in the ocean praises God by rising and crashing onto the shore, by just being what it was created to be. The wind praises God by whistling through the tree tops or tinkling through my wind chimes.

I praise God and give glory to Him by simply being who I was created to be. What's on my agenda today? Loving a grandchild? Easy to do as unto the Lord - after all, we know Jesus wants to love through us. Eternal value? You bet! As I love them, I pray that they will know God's love. Prayer and Bible Study? You bet! Eternal value! Running errands? Doing housework?  Hmmm....I still praise God by being who He created me to be in each situation, no matter how mundane. Lord, help me take You with me. So, yes, I prayerfully plan my activities, but as I go about my business, such as it is, I now have peace that WHATEVER it is, I do it for the Lord and in that I am praising Him.