The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
(Thanks to Mark C. for inspiration on this one)
“Doers”
During a discussion long ago about Heaven and eternity, a Christian young lady suggested to me, "All we are going to want to do in eternity is kneel at God's throne, and praise Him forever."
While I understood the young lady's well-meaning intention, and while we will certainly often join the holy throng of Heaven in expressing praise and gratitude to our glorious Lord, I did offer a different perspective. "I don't think our Heavenly Father would be pleased," I suggested, "if all we do is loiter around the Throne, even to extol His glory and wondrous virtue.”
Recall the parable of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning stewards given various amounts of money to invest and use for their master's interests (Matthew 25:14-30). The master rewarded two of the servants with increased responsibility for their faithful service, while one suffered great loss for his failure. The reliable servants acted in a manner that ensured their lord they could be trusted for future endeavors. He had things for them to do, cities for them to rule, and the expectation they would continue to be active in His service. Sadly, the unfaithful steward failed and grieved his master, which led to his sad end of disqualification from further responsibility.
Great and joyous responsibility awaits all who have been redeemed by the saving grace of the Lord Jesus, and who have availed themselves of His grace to walk in faith and faithfulness. Heaven and a redeemed creation will abound with things for us to do in service to God. A vast universe exists wherein the consequences of sin have left much of it dark and in ruin. Our Heavenly Father, however, purposes to not only to redeem human hearts, but also the entirety of His creation.
"The creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now" (Romans 8:21-22).
One day, the entire universe will shine with the light of God's glory. Myriads of planets, solar systems, and galaxies of the heavens will be made new in perfection and purity. Who can say what God's Heavenly people, the church of the Lord Jesus, will forevermore do in such a vast and complex realm? We know little in answer to the question of "What?" We know for certainty, however, that we will do much more than we can imagine. Indeed, God made human beings to act, to work, to accomplish, and to function, all by His leading and enabling to eternally fulfill His mandate to "be ye doers of the Word" (James 1:22). We greatly glorify the Lord Jesus in the present by diligent labors in His earthly vineyards. How much more will we honor Him in realms yet to be seen by human eyes, but ultimately to be the scene of Divinely motivated and enabled human labors?
Eternity will provide much opportunity to gather at the throne of God to offer our praise and thanksgiving. We all look forward to that. However, there will also be much to do in a creation discovered to be more vast every time a new telescope peers into the expanse of the universe. Moreover, our faithful doing will itself be a praise unto our Lord as angels witness former rebels joyously laboring as Blood-washed and Spirit-enlivened sons and daughters of God in Christ. God made and redeemed us for such fulfillment of heart, faithfulness of hand, and yes, the determined resolution to be ye doers (James 1:22).
"I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."
(Colossians 1:29)
“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
(The Greek root for “new” in this passage speaks not to newness of origin, but of changed condition - II Peter 3:13)
Weekly Memory Verse
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(Hebrews 11:1)
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