...Shaun Alexander has 130 or more yards and 2 touchdowns; and their rookie linebacker (Lofa Tatupu), gets at least one turnover.
Paul says some great things that I love to read about in Ephesians 4 -- about unity in the body of Christ. It is so simple, so normal and easy, yet so rare that we have unity in this body of ours. When every part does its job, he says, "then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."
Later on he gives practical instruction, like, "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something usefull with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need." Not only does he encourage productivity, but also making it normal and expected to share with those in need. He also says matter-of-factly that we should be working and earning a living. This would probably mean that we wouldn't quit our jobs and scurry around expecting the world to end overnight. I used to ask myself this pointed question: "What would I do and act like if I knew the "rapture" was going to happen tomorrow or the next day?" The answer was usually, "Quit my job and spend all the time I had preaching the Gospel." Then I thought of how "productive for the kingdom" that might be and asked myself, "Then why don't I act like that everyday?" It always had a bite of conviction to it, but it does not seem the practical way that Paul here (or Scripture as a whole) instructs us how to live. While things surely would be different if we had an accurate timetable for the future, we still have "life" to live, jobs to work, bills to pay, people to share with. This balanced life is one that Jesus is Lord over (being preeminent in all things) can be helpful and even routine. Crazy, lunatic stuff might be an option, but very very rarely.
Seeing God at work in our lives is not something where we need to construct a bizarre, radical context for. We can see Him alive and active in our very "normal" everyday lives.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at January 31, 2006 08:35 AMLIke Jesus is "with you always", like He said -- cool.
Posted by: solomon at February 1, 2006 06:59 AM