I would like to put a test, as it were, before you today in this letter, a quiz if you will concerning your spiritual walk. Consider here the amount of time that you are awake each day, the hours spent from the moment your head lifts itself from your place of rest each morning until it returns to its familiar spot that evening. Now, give pause here, and be honest with yourself, something that sadly many people will not do, and contemplate, how much of your average day is spent in service to Christ.
Look not only on the deeds that will last throughout eternity, but to a degree more importantly, look within your own mind, what percentage of your thoughts dwell upon the nature and character of Christ. We are commanded to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) so then, if we are obedient servants, all waking hours would be spent in adoration and praise of the most Holy One, not really a difficult task if you think about it, most humans are capable of accomplishing two things at once, and so if we are true to the Scriptures, a conscience part of our minds can continually be in prayer. The answer should be obvious, if I am awake sixteen hours a day, I am contemplating my spiritual walk for the entirety of the day, but I believe this is a vary rare individual indeed.
It has always amazed me the amount of people that I have met that speak about an eternity of praising God in heaven, but how little of it they do here, as if a certain part of them will be modified to where they are not that person today. There are excuses of course, constraints, placed upon us by the world with all its cares and needs, family, job, the important news of the day, “Once that is all removed from me, then I will serve.” I hear the same from many who speak of their retirement years, as if they are spending the youth of their lives in service to the world and self, saving old age and the little vigor left in it for the Lord. The question then is simple my friends, is Christ receiving your all, or the leftovers.
The immediate is always before us, it is the value that we place upon it that matters, if we were “Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Cor. 10:5) we will be doing what many believe they will be doing throughout eternity today, if we would, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,” (Matt. 6:33) then every thought would be captive for Christ today, would it not? We were created for one purpose, to glorify God, (Rev. 4:11) it is only by His pleasure that we were created in the first place, and truth must be told here, even the lost were created for the purpose of glorifying our Lord, “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” (Romans 9:22)
Every born-again believer realizes that we are not here to serve the world or ourselves, all of our efforts, spiritually, physically, and mentally are constantly to be upon our sole purpose, to lift up the name of Jesus. Little purpose can be found for the brother or sister in Christ who sees their service as one to their church and its functions only, who will not speak His name to the lost in the world, who keep the Word of God in their heart, but will not share it with others, good deeds done only for the sake of the deed and not done for Christ are wasted deeds. How is the name of Jesus lifted up when the mouth is not opened, when the words of life do not flow from the one who is to be constantly in prayer, continuously keeping every thought captive for Christ, from the one who is not seeking first the kingdom of God.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Gal. 6:7) How much glorifying in heaven do you suppose there is by those who will not lift up His name here, how much praise will flow freely from the lips of those who profess Christ here when we are there than from those who will only mention His glorious name here in certain company. There is a difference between shame and a burden. If there are so many followers of Christ out there today, why do we not hear His name on every street corner, why is not every God-fearing, Christ-centered, Bible-believing church overflowing every Sunday, why are so many of the daily topics concerned with the immediate and not the eternal. How many who call Christ Lord are spending the majority of each and every day in His presence, seeking His face, listening with their hearts for His leading, speaking of His wonders to all they meet, and how many believe that this will all occur only when they reach glory, then they will be profitable, then they will praise His name, until then for some, our Lord is just a well-kept secret, a treasure kept to themselves.
The work is here my friends, when you arrive home you are to bring gifts, the treasures and rewards we will receive in heaven are directly related to our service for Christ in this life, they are given to those who have served. “Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.” (Matt. 25:28) Take the test, ponder in truth just how much of your daily walk is in service to Christ, be honest with yourself, and then bring that honesty before the throne of God, He understands. The willing heart is the serving heart, and that heart of stone, (Eze. 36:26) is rarely transfigured overnight into one of flesh.
