Christian Living

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Once our lives get set in a pattern we tend to move through our days with little enthusiasm. Up in the morning, daily ritual of shower, dress, thinking of the day ahead. We all have our own routine. Hopefully it includes a talk with Jesus, but then we are off. Work or/and chores, kids, errands, eat; fall into bed at what we hope will be a reasonable hour. For some of us we run our days as if in a marathon, steady pace with the finish line a blur in the distance.

Where is our enthusiasm? Where is the energy for enthusiasm? Where is the time for enthusiasm? Our world runs at a faster and faster pace every generation. As Christians we are supposed to find joy in even the smallest things God has created for us. Serving God is to be a joy in our souls. We forget this. Some how we see it as “Church work”. Separating God and Church. When I do something at church I am not serving the elders or a committee. I am serving our Lord.

Sometimes doing work at church is seen as a status thing. We are “some body” at church so we must be better then those that are not active. Not true. God holds us in the same esteem as a new believer that just walked in the door for the first time. That is not to say that the things we do are not of value. Anything that we do that furthers the kingdom of God is more valuable then anything else that we can do.

It’s a father child relationship. When we do for God with joy in our hearts he smiles like a pleased father. The problem with this is that we can’t see his smile. It is hard to do work with no immediate acknowledgment that we did well. Even just a smile can bolster our dedication to serve.

Once when my husband and I had just been married a couple of years things were tight. An opportunity came my husband’s way to make some extra money hanging drywall on a ceiling. To do this efficiently you need two people preferably with strong backs. My husband couldn’t find anyone to help. Seeing a need to support him and my family I told him I would help him if he told me what to do and was patient with me. He had the strong back and I was less then physically adequate. Being of small stature I didn’t think he would take me seriously. He DID.

One morning after securing a sitter for the baby I found myself on an impossibly high scaffold-high because of my being vertically challenged-giving all I had to hold a 10ft. sheet of drywall to the rafters. My husband was so patient and considerate. Answered any question I had about how and why he did this or that. He worked at my pace. Because of that I tried as hard as I could to not lag behind.

Once the tools were packed away and we walked away from the finished job my husband looked over at a dirty, exhausted, woman half his size and smiled. Not just a casual smile but a square in the eye you amaze me with the things you can do kind of smile. After a few prideful words in his young awkward way he said just that.

But what I will never forget is that smile and what it said. When I do something for God no matter how small I have a feeling he has a smile just like that for me. That is where I find my joy for doing for Him. Even if it’s just straightening up the pew before I leave church. Church is God’s house and I pay my respects to God by taking care of it in even the smallest of ways.

When my daughter and her friend were on their way out the door for school one morning her friend grumbled. I told my daughter to give her friend some enthusiasm for the day. My daughter went back a step behind her friend and swung back her foot in a mock kick to the seat of her friends pants. I had such a deep laugh as it dawned on me that that is exactly what we need sometimes. A kick in our spiritual pants to get us thinking of all we have been given by a loving, faithful God.

Who I work with on a church project is not important. How well we serve God is all that matters. What is in our hearts when we serve God is what our Lord will see. Are we just trudging through another obligation or are we thinking of the sacrifice God made of his only son so that we could be forgiven. What is a sacrifice of my time and energy compared to the life of a son?

Enthusiasm, yes, enthusiasm is what I can have for such a wonderful God.

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