It's A Dead Reckoning, Dude.

Today we wrap up our reflections on the Christian experience of trauma in relation to the kingdom of God.

Here, again, are three statements Pastor Sam made during the message:

• "Sometimes in the process of grace, you go through untold trauma in the soul."
• "If you don't give up, don't bail out, don't resist, you might be around to see the end of God's grace."
• "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

Today, let's think about the third statement.

Pastor Sam's statement on the joy of the just soul is not for everyone. The end of the sentence is the key: "What a joy it must be to know that God used you to do what He wants to do."

In the famed parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), we see that God has a wonderful reward for the just and righteous soul: "Enter into My joy! You have done wonderfully!" But the assessment of the value of one's work is bound in the validity of the work assignment: that is, are you doing what God wants you to do? Or, are you doing what you want to do?

Several years ago, a colleague of mine was in a regrettable situation. The person was a valued trustee and longtime churchgoer, but she insisted that she "had the right" to engage in serial adultery. Her rationale was that she was free to live her life as she pleased, and as long as she gave lots of money to church and diligently served on her board she would not be excluded from heaven. She was fully committed to doing what she wanted to do, whether for good or ill. And, she fully expected that God would commend her.

However, the Old and New Testaments are filled with words that urge us to do what God wants us to do. There are the Ten Commandments; the Great Commandment; the Great Commission. There are the psalms and proverbs which urge us to walk in wisdom and obedience to God's law and will. There are the parables of Jesus. There are the letters dictated by the glorified Christ to the seven churches noted in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. There are the countless exhortations from Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles. The constant theme? "Do what God says."

Doing what God says, as we see from the life of Mary, is not an easy thing. Obedience costs.

But guess what? Our salvation was a costly acquisition.

When I was a child, one of the hymns I learned was Norman Clayton's Now I Belong To Jesus. Yes! Jesus owns me. He is the Master and I am His slave. He gave His life for me; I gave my life to Him. When the Lord calls, what can the authentic Christian do but obey? After all, what slave dares to tell his master what to do?

But that is what some in the faith have done.

-Yes Lord, I know You said I am to preach, but I'd rather play the guitar for You.
-Well, Lord, I know You said don't associate with him, but I need money and he has lots of it.
-Lord, we're going down to New Orleans to help build houses. We know You didn't ask us to, but could You bless our project anyway?
-Lord, I refuse to forgive.


In the parable of the talents, there was one servant noted for his disobedience. He buried his money into the ground instead of investing it. At the end of the project, he was identified as a man of sloth and wickedness.

-But digging a hole is hard work! And when is it wicked to safeguard someone else's property?

Digging a hole was hard work, but it was not a work wrought in support of the Master.
Safeguarding property is a nice gesture, but not when the Master has called us to take risks.

Lord, we have conducted our dead reckoning... and we now see that we have wandered far from Your desire. Please help us to return to the course You have set for us!