“There was a merchant who collected pearls, when he found one of such beauty he sold everything he owned to buy it.”
Jesus is the pearl of great price.
I think the awesomeness of who Christ is and what he has done is best described in the final verse of that great hymn, “when I survey the wonderful cross” which ends with the beautiful lines…
“We the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small,
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul my life my all!”
Coming back from holiday today has made me think about how we view things, do I have a ‘work’ head on or a ‘holiday head’ on?
Which made me think about how we/I view the world.
Work life balance is a bit of an oxymoron, as if your not alive you aren’t working!
Just like the spiritual and secular divide, surely everything is spiritual as the Holy Spirit is everywhere and always at work within his world.
I do think sometimes we have too lower view of work, when I have not been working it has been really tough, I think as human beings we need to work, not just to pay the bills, but as part of being human, we need to DO something, we are at our most alive when doing what we love and are good at, which I believe brings the Father joy. One of the early Church fathers Ireasmus described ‘the glory of God is a human being fully alive’.
In the care industry we think of holistic care, looking after the whole person. A compartmentalised life isn’t biblical as God incarnate lived his whole life for the glory of the father.
Jesus Christ cares about every area of our lives, not just the ‘Sunday best’ bit.
Too often we make following Jesus all about propping up the institution of the Church rather that allowing the Spirit of God to work in and through every area of our lives.
What has Jesus got to say about how we are faithful to our marriage covenants (those of us who are married), or how we bring up our children, or the faithful way we care for elderly relatives, or (as I rediscovered whilst off sick) the importance of just being a good friend.
I have been massively challenged about the quote which says “don’t worry about failing worry more about succeeding at things that don’t matter”.
It made me ask, are my priorities the same as Gods priorities for my life, am I being unfaithful to some callings, vocations and commitments because I am wrongly prioritising others. As Shane Claiborne once said “is my dream the same as he dream of God”.
Is Jesus lord of all, or just the bits that show?
Is my commitment to Christ have my vocation head on, to be forgotten when ‘real’ life kicks in, I want my faith to be more than my hobby.
Take a moment and think of your life, your callings and commitments, your character gifts and opportunities, and invite Christ to come in and surrender all to him, giving him access all areas.
Then take a moment and think is there any areas of my life which are a bit ballooned out of proportion, or others which matter to God which I have neglected and need to put right with his help.
Come Lord Jesus, and take your place.
scruffyvicar 