“Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.” Colossians 3:17 (TPT)

For God – The Practice Series – Part 4

Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3  |  PART 4  |  PART 5  |  PART 6

We don’t say, ‘I wouldn’t do this normally, Oh Divine one, but I’m gonna do it for you!” And it’s not like every little thing we do for God, we do ONLY for god, because ultimately in the end, if it benefits us, we do it for ourselves, too. Right? So are there things we do for God, and then other things that we do for ourselves, and then even more other things for others? Is it all separate? (have I thoroughly confused you).

Look. It’s not dualistic: You’re doing something for God, or you’re not. No.

It’s much more watery than that. And by watery I mean, there’s more of a flow to it. You don’t wake up and decide, “today, instead of being nice to someone for my own benefit, I’m going to do it for God,” and that that decision makes the action – the niceness – somehow more Holy.

This verse isn’t about declaring a side, or an allegiance, or trying to suggest that we need to justify the thrill we get out of living our purpose – look, it's “all for Jesus.”

Matthew records Jesus as saying:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matt 35-40).

It seems that you can be doing things “unto the Lord” without any kind of declaration. Perhaps, without even realising it.

God’s Trinitarian nature is a pattern that’s repeated throughout the natural world. And when I take a three-pronged approach to my connection with him, it forms a circle, not a hierarchical triangle.

Jesus himself said that ALL the commandments can be summed up in these three things: Love God, love others, love yourself. A circle of love. Where does the circle begin and end? And isn't it that we’re doing something for God when we bring health to others, and to ourselves? When we're as honest and as strong as we can be? As we reach out help, and as we accept and receive it as well? As we nurture and steward the earth well? When we take responsibility for the vulnerable and use our wealth to build communities rather than individuals and empires?

Colossians 3:17 as a daily practice is the awareness that we are all connected. God-You-Me. Together, we complete the circle. To live “drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus” is to learn to live unto God, unto your true self (not to be confused with the ego), and unto others. It’s the understanding that we are linked. And that link is what makes this whole thing holy.

PRACTICE

Rather than dedicating your words and actions to God, as if you are doing everything “for him,” consider how the love of Jesus connects us with each other. Does this change how you view others? Your work?

Go to Part 5 – The Essence of Life »

Written by Liz Milani. Find me:
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