What Do You Smell Like?

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘[…] Being faithful to Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing we try to do today. We will be faithful to our work, to serving others, or to anything else; just don’t ask us to be faithful to Jesus Christ. Many Christians become very impatient when we talk about faithfulness to Jesus. Our Lord is dethroned more deliberately by Christian workers than by the world. We treat God as if He were a machine designed only to bless us, and we think of Jesus as just another one of the workers. The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.’ CHAMBERS

 

So the challenge for us is to make sure we place our trust in God and not the world and then to bring glory to God through how lives .. where ever we are .. and whatever we put our hands to.

 

Why do you suppose it is so easy to be faithful to work?  We feel compelled to be to work on time.  “Well”, you say, “if I don’t do what I am expected to do then I won’t have a job.” And that is true. But the point is .. why are we more faithful to the demands of our boss than we are to the commands of the Lord?

 

I think it might be that we look at our work as the means of support for our family, our debt, are personal significance.  But isn’t God the one who does all of that? Isn’t He the Provider, the sustainer, the One who said we are so significant that He sent His Son to die for us?

 

Are you getting your back up about now?  Wanting to defend yourself? I am not telling you this so you will feel defensive.  I am telling you this so you will examine your priorities.  What or whom do you trust in, really?  What is the basis for your decisions?  Your financial security or the direction from God?  I am not saying you shouldn’t go to work today so you can pray and read your Bible. I am saying you need to  give your heart fully to God.  We should do everything with excellence, but not for recognition or self-promotion, but for the Lord.  When we go to work are serving Him, not our boss.

 

Colossians 3:22-24 “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Likewise, our focus cannot be on how things are going at work or whether we like our job … but knowing that we are where God has planted us … and having confidence that He knows what He is doing.  I have heard many prayer requests like “Lord get me out of this job, I hate it.”  How did you get in the job?  When you did get that job, did you see it as God’s provision?   I believe that it is a false assumption that we must be comfortable and satisfied with our work for it to be the right place for us.   Our ministry  is to be the aroma of Christ, no matter what the circumstance. That goes beyond being devoted to our employer and loving our job.  The aroma cannot be released until the flask is broken.     2 Corinthians 2:14-15 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

 

Keep your eyes on Jesus

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)