A Decision Revisited: six years after

In the spring of 2005 an agreement with my wife to allow her to pursue a doctorate had passed the first 'fleese,' my bride had a job in the DFW area. So here I sit four months shy of six years later amazed that I have been out of church vocational service, My reflections are prompted today by the message delivered through my pastor to my heart today.

GRAND PLANS

After multiple 'cattle calls,' (job fairs) I received an offer to go to work in what proved to be a dream job. Six years later I've been a part of winning three state championships and involved in four state finals games. I've been able to work on a campus that despite a socioeconomic status change has maintained a high achievement standard on state assessments. But my plan was to use this as a TENT MAKER Ministry to allow me to do summer camp recreation or speak or something else for little cost or free to those doing the camp. I got to do a couple of those my first summer, but ever since I've been working to just keep up with all the extra training required to be a teacher/coach in Texas that teaches math. My plans, to say the least, have not come to fruition.

MAJOR QUESTION

Is Christ supreme in my life in such a way that I, as a Christian, am about the "Right Motives for Working Hard? If God is not Lord of our work then it is indeed a major miss as far as Him being supreme, because work is the major portion of what we do in our life today." -Ross Sawyer, 121 Community Church, Colossians 4/10/2011

"...in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work whole heartedly, as for the Lord rather than for men." - Col. 3:22-23

PERSPECTIVE

For six years I "tipped my hat" to God as I've worked. Oh yeah, the work ethic that God instilled in me through the discipling of my Dad has insured that I gave MY best to the job. I've put in the six and seven day work weeks. I've put in the ten to twenty hour days and the forty-five to seventy hour work week. I've spent countless hours attending professional development to improve my skills as a math teacher and coach so that I stay on top of the game.

Unfortunately, my attitude has not allowed Christ to be supreme in all areas of my current vocation. I've struggled with 'food addiction.' A nice way to say that my eating habits are terrible and I am jeopardizing my heath and ability to perform my duties. i've struggled with exercise. I lost over forty pounds to get ready for the career change that I knew would be even more grueling than being a youth minister. Because even as a youth minister with the countless hours of planning, attending, etc. you can always find time in a day to sit down and relax. Almost all of its back, its time to get up off the couch and get this 'bubble' out of the middle, AGAIN!

I've struggled with authority. There are days that I don't want to attend all the meetings, do the never ending paperwork, provide the extra tutoring or come up with lesson plans. I just want to get by. I've struggled with personal discipleship. Making time daily to be in God's word and visit with Him. I have hurt hearts, under influenced those in my circle of influence, and allowed the wrong motives to direct my actions (and reactions).

While not all of my 5 years and 8 months have been totally devoid of God's supremacy, I dare say that there is much more He could and would have done in these years for His kingdom if I'd been willing to allow Him to be LORD every day in my work.

Now the question becomes will I allow Him consciously to be the Lord each day as I work for Him.

DOES YOUR JOB MATTER TO GOD

If you've made it this far let me ask you to take time to consider the fact that your job does matter to God. No matter what you do you have an opportunity to be of service to God's kingdom in it. It could be that your job is a "tent maker" job that would allow you to use your talents to serve God part time in a vocational ministry starting churches. It could be that your position would allow you to minister to those with whom you work in such a way that they would open the door to Christ and His Lordship in their lives.

It could be that you own your business and you could rewirte its purpose to be one that provides funds for missions around the world. This week I had a chance to be with Norm Miller. Norm is the Presiden/CEO of Interstate Battery. The Mission of IB is to sell batteries so that they can fund ministry around the world. They support many work place ministries silently, but one ministry they support is currently in the forefront, "I Am Second." Talk about being on mission in your job.

Or it could be that the vocation you're currently in is one you know doesn't honor anyone, much less God. The way that job might matter is to rid yourself of if and allow God to place you where He truly would have you be.

It is my hope that as I continue on this road of life that I will daily allow Christ to reign supreme as Lord so that the work I do matters in His kingdom.

"I must decrease, He must increase."