What are you living for?

Dedicated people will do nearly anything to get what they want. They have a clear and unswerving focus which they pursue with determination. Liesel Jones was interviewed recently about her preparations for the Olympics. At twenty two years of age she is attending her third Olympics. It hasn’t happened without a huge commitment and a gruelling training schedule. Athletes from other countries around the world have made similar sacrifices to have the opportunity to compete.

In contrast, Australia has been described as “the land of the long weekend”. We are known as a country that “lives for” its moments of pleasure. The rest of the week is seen as an “interruption”. For many people work is seen as just a way to pay the bills. In a similar way, schoolwork is seen as just being about getting an education so you can earn money. This kind of approach can mean that we spend a large part of our lives looking forward to something but not enjoying the present moment. After the weekend many people suffer from “Mondayitis”. It’s hard to get out of bed and go back to school or work. But have you considered that one seventh of your life is lived on Mondays? So, if you suffer from “Mondayitis” you could be wasting a seventh of your life!

The Bible teaches that there is more to life than looking forward to “weekends”. Every day can be filled with meaning and purpose when God is at the centre of how we live. The apostle Paul found meaning and purpose in life even in the midst of suffering and difficulty. His greatest concern was that Christ would be honoured in his life and his death. He knew that his future was uncertain. He was not afraid of dying for his faith. He knew that heaven would be a far better place. But his concern was not for his own comfort. He wanted to live in a way that pleased and honoured God. He valued his relationships with his friends and knew he could encourage their faith by staying alive.

So he was able to write to his friends in Philippi,

“Alive I’m Christ’s messenger, dead I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.” (Philippians 1:21 The Message)

Are you excited about life? Do you have a passion that motivates you? Are you drifting along wondering where your life is going? Do you have a sense of direction?

Proclaiming Christ is what matters

As we saw below, the apostle Paul was in jail for Jesus. But he believed that God was bigger than any restriction placed upon him by other people. He took the opportunity to share his faith with the soldiers who guarded him. His life had been totally changed by meeting the risen Lord Jesus. As a result, the most important thing in his life was telling other people about Jesus.

Some people tried to make his situation in prison worse. They told others about Jesus to create trouble for him. Others shared their faith out of a genuine concern that people might come to know Christ. Paul didn’t care what their motives were. He just wanted the message about Jesus spread far and wide. He put it like this,

“But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed. And because of this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18)

As a school student I met a mixture of people who claimed to be Christian. Some of them I admired. Others I couldn’t stand, they annoyed and aggravated me by their behaviour. But looking back God used them all. In different ways they challenged me to think about the place of Jesus in my life. So I’ve come to realise that the message about Jesus is more powerful than the imperfect human beings who share it. That’s good news!

Has an imperfect messenger stopped you considering the message about Christ? Look beyond the messenger to the person of Jesus. Have you been reluctant to let other people know you follow Christ because you aren’t perfect? Be encouraged, God works through weak and frail human beings like you and I.

Paul had discovered that encountering Jesus could change an angry hate-filled person into a loving and forgiving person. He wanted other people to experience the same kind of transformation. Chains couldn’t stop its power and neither could wrongly motivated messengers.

The message about Jesus is divinely powerful. Have you considered it seriously? Are you sharing it openly?

In Jail for Jesus

Are you tempted to complain about getting up early on these cold mornings? Do you wish you had less homework to do (or less to mark)? Would you like a bigger house, a better car or a longer holiday? It is easy to become discontent with our lot in life, especially after the holiday break from routine. Things can often look better somewhere else or for someone else. So, how can we keep things in focus and maintain a positive attitude?

I find it helpful to connect with people who are struggling to overcome adversity. It may be a health issue or unemployment. It could be difficulties in their family situation. Whatever it is, their courage and determination inspires and challenges me. It also helps me to put my temptation to grumble into perspective. It reminds me as well, about the importance and power of God’s message known as “the gospel”.

Reading about fellow Christians who have suffered for their faith also challenges and encourages me. It is relatively easy to follow Jesus in Australia. But in many parts of the world it is costly and dangerous to do so. Some people are imprisoned for their faith some are even killed. In other places the discrimination takes the form of limited job opportunities or being passed over for promotion. The early Christians also suffered for their faith. The apostle Paul is one example. He was imprisoned for his faith and later executed. But he was still able to stay joyful and trust God. He writes,

“I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else too, found out that I’m in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they’ve learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the Christians here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.” (Philippians 1:12-14 The Message)

Paul’s writing reminds me that God is bigger than all my problems. He is also able to use them to achieve his purposes. He is especially concerned about people and wants them to know about his Son Jesus. Perhaps you feel “chained” to someone, like the soldiers Paul had guarding him. Maybe they are God’s opportunity for you to share His love and message.

Or perhaps there is someone who needs your support and encouragement? You could sit with them at lunchtime. Maybe you could write them a note of encouragement, send them a text message or email or phone them. Some people just need a listening ear. Sharing God’s love in these ways can bless others as well as remind us of how blessed we already are.

Enjoy your freedom and ask God to use the difficulties in your life.