Do you live for this day, or do you live for that day?
It’s not often that I can sit through a church service or see something spiritual and honestly say it impacted me to a point of life changing. Partially because we’ve watered the phrase life changing experience down to something almost worldly; and it usually takes something pretty relevant for me to want to alter my life and bring something ‘new’ into it. I’m not big into change…..
Recently, a friend of mine asked me to take a look at a DVD about stewardship…..not what we would typically think of when the word stewardship is mentioned, but rather God’s view of what we did with what we had while here on earth. It was a skit that told the story of one man’s encounter with the Bema, or more traditionally known as the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Paul writes: 6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 1 Corinthians 5:6-10 What is Paul saying in this passage? He is basically telling the Corinth Christians that it would be much better to be in heaven with Jesus, but since they aren’t, that still doesn’t excuse the common goal of pleasing Him. The motive for a Christian is to bring a smile to Jesus’ face (v.9), regardless of where we are…..
Now, hear me out, this isn’t a judgment where our sins get judged…Jesus already took care of that and they won’t even come into play. This is the time where each Christian will give account for the things he or she did with what God gave them while they were still on earth. This is where we get our crowns. Our reward. Where the bride of Christ will finally come face to face with the one who paid it all…Jesus. This should be a time of great celebration….
This day = today That day = Judgment day
On the sermon on the mount, Jesus said to store up treasures in heaven where moths and rust won’t destroy and thieves won’t steal. We are going to be judged on what we placed in the heavenly realm, not what we gathered here. That is the first thing we will be judged on. Next, we will be judged on what we did with what we were given. Did we take the skills, talents, resources, gifts, etc. and use them for Kingdom purposes? We will be evaluated on what we had, and what we did with it. Lastly, we will be evaluated on our motives. Scripture tells us that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at our heart. God wants to know why we did what we did.
To recap: 1. Treasures 2.Talents 3. Motives.
This realization has literally broken my heart as I think about all the time I have squandered on things of this world. I have so much more to give. I have so much more love to share. I have so much more to do with my time. And I long to do it for the glory of my Jesus.
One thing God really convicted me of today is the need to invest in people. I want to love better and deeper. I want to take the gifts God has blessed me with and use them to further the gospel with His people. I want to teach the untaught. I want to encourage the downtrodden. I want to do this when no one is watching except for my God. I want to love as Jesus loved and I want to be all about making a difference for that day. Yes, I want to get those crowns…so I can give them right back to Him.
Create in me a clean heart, oh God. And renew an steadfast spirit in me…Psalm 51:10
2 Comments
February 27, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Lately this whole topic has been gnawing at me. I keep questioning whether or not my decisions are for pleasing God, or just looking to please myself. I am in school right now with what WAS a nursing degree in mind. But when I really thought about it I started having doubts. Normally I am one to try and brush off second thoughts, but considering it was a career choice that I was going to put money and time into, it was important to find the reason of my doubts. I prayed and talked with my parents, and I found out why.
Since then I have changed to a teaching degree. I want to start out young, and then go from there. Children are my passion! Though pediatrics isn’t bad either, I noticed that honestly it was the income that scared me. I wanted to be a nurse because it was more stable but now I am starting to learn how to live with Christ in mind.
Honestly, I am still a novice. And it’s a daily struggle for me to stay focused with God constantly in mind in my decisions and daily walk. Thanks so much for posting this!
In Love,
joyfulpraisegirl
March 5, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Good word. I have to say when I am having a bad week, it is always nice to sit and read what God is doing in someone else’s life. It makes me feel like my problems on earth are really not anything as they really are not.
PeACe
daneK