Living For Whose Glory?

I think we have to start our quest for God’s calling by asking ourselves one fundamental question: who will we be living for, for whose glory, our own or God’s? There are really only two paths in life. The first path is well worn. It is all about “me” and it leads to our own self-actualization (finally given a name by Abraham Maslow). And as Josh Turner would say, “its only destination is the middle of nowhere.” The second path is less worn because it just doesn’t look very promising. The path gets foggy after a few hundred meters and it has rules (boo) that seem contrary to our natural instincts. Deny yourself it says. This is about as natural as running a race upside down, on our hands.

This brings us to the next set of questions. So why take the second path? Is it worth it to devote your life to God? When it comes down to it we will make a choice based on what we think is in our own best interest.

Our problem is not that we desire our own happiness; no, our real problem is that deep down we don’t really believe that seeking God is the way to obtain our happiness. Perhaps we would be happier if we devoted ourselves to sensuality, to gratifying every physical desire; or if we devoted ourselves to becoming wealthy, and acquiring houses, and cars, and clothes. Perhaps, if we had unlimited wealth, and power, and freedom, we would be more satisfied and fulfilled than we are now. Secretly, in the back of our minds, we’re not really convinced that pursuing God is the path to our greatest joy and satisfaction. We wonder if perhaps we’re missing out on what’s best. That’s the problem. Perhaps Hugh Hefner is better off than we are and if he isn’t then Donald Trump is.  ~Alan Perkins

The Bible instructs us in 1 John 2:15-17 why we would not be happier if only ______ happens. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

I wrote a series on contentment which tried to show how the world is unable to satisfy our deepest longings. In reality, this truth cannot be learned by reading a few articles. It is something that we learn in practice by denying ourselves daily and the practice is not always pleasant. It is awkward and unnatural. And so we struggle to “put our mouths out of taste for the things with which the tempter baits his hooks” as John Piper would say.

Unfortunately we will never see past the flashy and desirous distractions in front of our faces until we see what Christ is offering us in the background. Satan wants us to trade something of value (a relationship with Christ) for something worthless. Like a mean older brother who convinces you to trade your dollar for a handful of shiny copper pennies, Satan leads us to believe that sin is more desirous than God. He does this by playing up the benefits of sin but concealing its costs, especially the eternal costs.

With that said, the consequences of not following God should not be our main motivation to follow Him. The truth is we are better off, in this life and the next, when we live our lives for obedience to God.

CS Lewis once said, “we are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” A true Christian is someone who takes God at His word when He says that there is something better than making mud pies (or living life how we see fit) and who then chooses to hop on the bus for the drive to the sea.

If Heaven is life at the beach, then for a follower of Jesus, this life is the drive to the sea. The ride there is not always pleasant because we have to patiently wait for our prize while the other kids get to enjoy making mud pies right now.  Sometimes we complain and ask an occasional “are we there yet” when the road seems long and monotonous. But most of the time we endure the bus ride because we play over and over in our minds what it will be like to run on the beach and body surf in the waves.

Jesus knows how hard it is to choose the bus over mud pies. He was in our shoes once and when He was alive there was no bus. So he paid the price, bought a bus and became a bus driver so that now anyone who chooses the beach has a way to get there! We can therefore trust Him when He says that a few hours on the bus is worth an eternity at the beach.  And so we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Is there reward for those who follow God only in the life to come? No. Hebrews 11:6 says that anyone who comes to [God] must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Now this is not the prosperity gospel. Does this mean that everyone who chooses Christ will become rich and successful and popular? No, it means that you now have the creator of the universe looking out for your best interest*. It means that for those who love the Lord, everything, even your missteps, will work out for good (Romans 8:28)!

How about when it comes to finding my calling, don’t I know where I can best serve and shouldn’t I therefore choose my own path? Jesus knows you better than you know yourself. He created you and placed you on this planet for a reason. He knows which line of work will bring you the most satisfaction and which spouse will bring you the most joy. Jesus says in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” If we are honest with ourselves, many of the decisions we have made on our own have only brought us heartache. Life with God can still be painful but it is life with a lot less complications and a lot more peace.

Now we can talk about calling.. next week

 

*why doesn’t God look out for everyone’s best interest? He wants to, but there is one thing that can prevent Him from doing so: your free will.

Source: I took Alan Perkins’ quote from this sermon