Writing Without A License

For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
(Romans 12:4-8 ASV)

This verse reminds me that it is not only important that we serve…it is also important how we serve. Consider this story about our home. In our home, we have a cat named Zuzu. She’s a portly kitty, cranky and lazy. You don’t want to be around when her claws come out. In rare instances, she can be persuaded, with much poking and prodding, to do her master’s bidding. She may, grudgingly, allow you to get close once in a while. But mostly, she is fiercely independent. Spending her days, as most cats do, eating, napping and occasionally chasing an imaginary bug.

Also in our home, there is a dog, George. George is a ball of energy all directed at filling her place in the family. George is our guardian, our companion and, sometimes, our clown. If an animal can love, then truly George loves her family. She is her master’s shadow, following me closely wherever I go and ready at a moment’s notice to fetch a ball…greet a friend at the door…serve as alarm clock to my son. (You can imagine what that must be like - 45 pounds of playful puppy bounding on the bed for a frantic wake-up call!) Most importantly, no matter what she is doing, George is doing it with her whole heart…with her whole being.

Now, the world is also my home. And if the world is my home, then Jesus is the Master and all the world’s inhabitants are my family. Who, then, am I? It could be that I’m the cat. And I am not too proud to admit that on more than one occasion I have been. But I’m trying to be the dog…

I’m trying real hard.

I’m trying to follow my Master closely and serve my family with my whole heart in joy, enthusiasm and love.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, And shall trust in Jehovah. Blessed is the man that maketh Jehovah his trust, And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Jehovah my God, are the wonderful works which thou hast done, And thy thoughts which are to us-ward; They cannot be set in order unto thee; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.
(Psalms 40:1-5 ASV)

David, the psalmist cries out to the Lord from a “desolate pit” in which he is stuck. While this psalm certainly rings true when we are despairing in times of trouble, what about everyday life? The Hebrew word translated here as “desolate pit” can also be translated as “noisy pit” or “dungeon.” It calls to mind being stuck in the trap of a work-a-day world, bogged down by financial and social obligations, and distracted by the noisy chaos of the world around us. It also reminds us that, if we focus on the Lord and call out to Him, He will help us. Sure, we will still have work and obligations, but we can approach them with the sure-footedness of a person who has the Lord as his foundation and with a song in our hearts to quiet the chaos.