I walked into work today with 15 minutes to spare and quickly sat down to chug some water and make an attempt to cool off in the air conditioning. I flipped my bible open.....what to read? I only have fifteen minutes. hmmm... there's the beginning of Colossians. Pretty good. I skim through to the beginning of chapter 3. And lots of things grab my attention, but one sentence stops me dead in my tracks (well, actually a couple):
Were you not raised to life with Christ? Then aspire to the realm above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God, and let your thoughts dwell on that higher realm, not on this earthly life. I repeat, you died; and now your life lies hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you too will be manifested with him in glory.

and a little further:
Whatever you are doing, whether you speak or act, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Lately I've been feeling this aching emptiness off and on. And I think I know why. It's our disease.
We tell each other we have such-and-such to accomplish in our lives. Whether it be day-to-day, week-to-week, year-to-year..... I'm surrounded by people who measure the value of their lives based on what they accomplish- and I do it too. And if we didn't accomplish enough this week, we end up in a frantic rush to accomplish, or the dull void of not even knowing what we're working for anymore, because the years go by much faster than expected. Please don't take this as me admonishing anyone toward laziness. In fact, quite the opposite. Our time is a gift and therefore to be cherished... I said cherished, not hoarded, right?

But here's the thing, if we do anything 'great' or 'small' .....we do it through Christ, right? so who's got their ruler out? What are we measuring for? We've got nothing to claim. Everything has been sanctified whether mundane, simple, hard, big or small. It's only for us to realize the sanctity of everything we're doing- of who we're being through Christ. That part in John where Jesus is telling the disciples to abide in him? Guess what folks, when we abide in him we do all things in the name of Jesus whether word or deed, we don't do something contrary to him- because then it wouldn't be done in his name. That's what it looks like. Paul is basically admonishing them to keep their minds, hearts, actions -all that they are- on/in Christ, because that's the only way you can do all things unto him and in his name.

We need to be aware of the transient nature of earth- and of all this. It doesn't mean removal from the situations we are in, or the injustice around us.... It doesn't mean that we stop chasing righteousness and seeking the kingdom of God right now- it means a hope that is bigger than transient. It means something more than just stopping all the suffering or evils of this world. It means looking into Jesus' eyes, seeing his hands -the wounds, remembering his blood given to make us clean and knowing that it is He who pours his glory and presence into something (or someone), not us. It is knowing that we can trust Him to use anything done to him for his glory, not constantly measuring what you are doing to see if it's glorifying him.
It's just looking at him.
It's just abiding in Him.
It really is.

It's really that simple.
You, I, they, don't have to do anything great.


He already did. And still is doing.