I like results. Results feed my feeling of self-worth.
But, is that what following God is all about?
Today's results will quickly fade away. And then what will be left?
For years, I have been wrestling with conflicting arguments for "being" and "doing".
As I have said before in this blog, I have been entranced with Brother Lawrence's little book The Practice of the Presence of God for many decades. The 17th century French monk practiced continual conversation with God throughout his day. For him, the most important thing in life was his relationship with his beloved Lord - not accomplishments.
But, can you be so wrapped up in your relationship with God that nothing gets done?
Somehow, I think that is the wrong way to look at things. King David's psalms make clear that his relationship with God was paramount. The psalms are prayers to the Father.
Yet no one could deny that David got things done.
He - and many others - stand out in the Bible story because they sought God first and foremost.
I am now reading a book that underscores this point.
Jan Johnson, author of Enjoying the Presence of God, tells how she was compulsive in her prayer time for many years - keeping long lists and insisting on doing everything she could to touch all the bases in prayer and worship.
In effect, she fell into a performance trap - trying to gain God's attention and favour through doing things.
I see myself in that mirror. I believe prayer lists are good. But sometimes I allow proper prayer procedure to govern my prayer time.
Johnson says she came to see that conversing with God in the ordinary events of the day was a great pleasure. She realized that "I didn't need a great quiet time, I needed a God-centred lifetime."
"I saw that my responsibility as a Christian was to seek God's company, not to seek spiritual maturity."
In the end, I am convinced that "doing" flows from "being".
Jesus said in John 8:28-29 that he only did what the Father taught him. He did what pleased his Father.
How can we know what pleases the Father if we don't have a close relationship with him?
But, is that what following God is all about?
Today's results will quickly fade away. And then what will be left?
For years, I have been wrestling with conflicting arguments for "being" and "doing".
As I have said before in this blog, I have been entranced with Brother Lawrence's little book The Practice of the Presence of God for many decades. The 17th century French monk practiced continual conversation with God throughout his day. For him, the most important thing in life was his relationship with his beloved Lord - not accomplishments.
But, can you be so wrapped up in your relationship with God that nothing gets done?
Somehow, I think that is the wrong way to look at things. King David's psalms make clear that his relationship with God was paramount. The psalms are prayers to the Father.
Yet no one could deny that David got things done.
He - and many others - stand out in the Bible story because they sought God first and foremost.
I am now reading a book that underscores this point.
Jan Johnson, author of Enjoying the Presence of God, tells how she was compulsive in her prayer time for many years - keeping long lists and insisting on doing everything she could to touch all the bases in prayer and worship.
In effect, she fell into a performance trap - trying to gain God's attention and favour through doing things.
I see myself in that mirror. I believe prayer lists are good. But sometimes I allow proper prayer procedure to govern my prayer time.
Johnson says she came to see that conversing with God in the ordinary events of the day was a great pleasure. She realized that "I didn't need a great quiet time, I needed a God-centred lifetime."
"I saw that my responsibility as a Christian was to seek God's company, not to seek spiritual maturity."
In the end, I am convinced that "doing" flows from "being".
Jesus said in John 8:28-29 that he only did what the Father taught him. He did what pleased his Father.
How can we know what pleases the Father if we don't have a close relationship with him?
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