Do You Worship the Work

One day this week I watched “Angels and Demons.” In the movie the Tom Hanks character rushes from magnificent church to magnificent church in Rome trying to prevent murders. His problem is figuring out in which magnificent church the next murder will occur. I eventually (being so quick-witted and all) decided that maybe there are too many magnificent churches, at least in Rome. I once was a member of a church fellowship that had no building at all. We referred to it as the “Church without Walls.” It was a great church. After a few years, we lost our first pastor and gained a building. The “church” was never the same. I have friends who belong to a fellowship that worships in a magnificent building. I like to kid them about it, asking how many bibles could be  bought or missionaries could be supported on what it took to build and keep up the magnificent structure. Okay, so sometimes I’m a bit of a jerk.

Of course it’s not just physical “works” that can be a problem. “Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God.” Ouch. Yes, we can worship the work. Just as our possessions can possess us, so can our passions, even when the passion is “His” work.

It’s not hard to spot the follower possessed by his work instead of His Lord. He  “becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind, and heart are so overwhelmed that God’s blessing cannot rest on him.” When we focus on Him instead, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him. The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone.” 

When our focus falls to our building, it’s really just pride. When our focus falls to our work, once again it’s really just pride. When our focus stays on Him where is pride? There is only unending gratitude that He loves us and joy that we are His.

Let go of the “work” it’s really not ours. Grab hold of Him, He’s all that matters.

Nick