FollowBy Beau Leaman
About 3 years ago our men had the pleasure of hearing from a renowned speaker at the yearly men’s retreat. This speaker put a passion and fire within our guts to go out and live a special phrase many in our congregation still chew on and think about today: “Put God first, life goes best.” It was a simple phrase, yet thought provoking to say the least. As we all know, with every mountaintop there is always a Blue Monday (or valley). How do we meet God in the everyday, valley-like, mundane we call “life”?
There have been many times in my life when insecurity, discontentment, and promises for a brighter future have crept up into my flesh and made me question if there is purpose in my every day. It creeps up while working a job that pans out to be the opposite I always envisioned for myself growing up. What is my purpose? Where is God’s will? What am I doing?
As a Christian in the workplace, I have wrestled through countless thoughts on what my primary focus should be as a member of God’s Kingdom. Should I be a simple and humble man that takes no part in the works of the flesh? Should I be characterized as someone with great passion and energy in what he does? Should I be silent in my representation and let my actions speak for Whom I truly work for? Should I display stress and frustration in the workplace or my neighborhood? In the mundane, how do I exalt God and enjoy Him every moment of every day?
As I write these words, please understand that I come with a posture of complete humility and an awareness of a continual need of sanctification in all areas of my life, but this subject weighs heavy. Whether you are a full-time worker, part-time worker, retired, enrolled in school, or a stay-at-home parent, I know we all wrestle with similar questions. I was encouraged by this scripture and I hope you are as well.
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, and He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17, NKJV)
I embrace these words as David embraced the promises of His Shepherd in Psalm 23. I embrace the fact that we are a special people that are set apart even in the valley and even in the mundane. Deuteronomy 7:6 says, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” I’m comforted to know that, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:13, I’m chosen for salvation through sanctification by the help of the Spirit. I’m not alone! I have an Advocate that sits at the right hand of the throne of Yahweh! I have help and that’s God Himself in the Spirit living inside me! What great comfort and peace this brings: I’m not alone.
I want to leave us with a few questions that require some thinking, questions I currently wrestle with. Should we be a people with the most passion and energy in our neighborhoods, homes, and workplaces? Should we be the absolute best at what we do for our Lord’s sake? Should we be a humble people that boasts only in Christ crucified? How do I put God first in this situation? I conclude with a statement from John Piper: “Eternal security is a community event.” Paul is specific that our communication should build up and give grace to the hearers. May the Spirit walk with us both individually and collectively as a Body as we pursue our daily goal of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.
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