Unstring the Bow

A thousand years ago, a new technology was developed by Europeans called the long bow.  Archers used the tension in bent piece of wood to launch arrows with deadly effect. But, they discovered that unless they unstrung the bow when they were not using it, it would lose the ability to snap back to original shape as quickly and powerfully.  Releasing the tension made the bow  last longer. We all need to ‘unstring the bow’ periodically, don’t we?  If we push ourselves through day after day in high output mode, we will become fatigued in body and mind.

Hobbies, pleasant diversions,  add value to our lives by giving us a creative outlet, by connecting us to other people, and/or by helping us develop new skills. So, what's your hobby? Please don't say watching TV or playing video games. (That just couldn't be helped!) In America, TV watching consumes the largest percentage of our leisure time. TV's are on in US household, on average, for 8 hours of each day. TV is a diversion, but it certainly does not qualify as a real hobby.  

For many people God is a just a hobby. He gets a donation from money that is left over after 'real needs' have been addressed. The Lord’s ‘work’ fills in the gaps in the day planner, after the 'real work' is finished - as a hobby ought to, but as He never should.  If we regard Him as a ‘hobby’ our lives will be out of order, imbalanced, ineffective. We are spiritual beings first and foremost. Our physical bodies to which we are so attached, are temporal; our spirits eternal.  Those to whom God is a hobby will worship themselves, their bodies, their achievements, and their stuff even as they play at spiritual matters- worshipping God and developing the gifts of the Spirit He gives us to extend His rule in this world.

Malachi received a word from God for His people.  The Jews were being blessed, but they were forgetting Who was blessing them. God played second fiddle to their own desires and plans. He got the left-overs and He was angered by this kind of treatment.  “I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God-of-the-Angel-Armies.’ “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me.

You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is God speaking to you! “A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I’m a great king, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I’ll not put up with it!"

God is the core, the hub, the center of life. That is why the Bible says "Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17, NLT) What does that really mean to us? Everything!

As I go to work today, I must ask myself, "Am I going to do God's work or to simply earn a living?" How I answer that question will make a difference in the way I work.  When I am making decisions about spending the resources I have, I must ask, "will it be as one who understands that I am managing a sacred trust or as an American consumer looking for a way to buy more stuff?"  As a parent I can seek to live in such a way that my children are God-aware and I can help them to understand that serving Christ wholeheartedly is their primary purpose; or I can focus on developing their social skills and education with such focus, that they conclude that success in this temporal world is their reason for living.

Don’t make God your weekend hobby.  Don’t put Him on the shelf after church and forget Him until the next Sunday rolls around. A 'hobby' God is unable to meet our deepest needs.  IF the One who could give us purpose, steady us on our way, is pushed to one side; it will cause us to be unbalanced, our vision out of focus.  Christians who separate life into what is sacred (belonging to God) and what is secular (what does not concern God) will become conflicted, confused, and misdirected.  Joy will be lost because they are neither 'of this world,' nor fully devoted to Christ.  

For many Christians in this state, the answer is is to look for a new spiritual experience, to go in search of a new preacher or worship service. However, the real answer is not a 'what' nor is is a 'where.' Satisfaction of soul hunger is only found in a whole-hearted commitment. When we choose to make Him Lord of all, they find that He is more than enough!

I leave us pondering this word from the Word today. Mediate deeply on it! "... do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the (those without God) seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:31-33, NKJV)

___________

Beneath The Cross Of Jesus (Saint Christopher)

Beneath the cross of Jesus,

I fain would take my stand.

The shadow of a mighty rock,

Within a weary land.

A home within the wilderness,

A rest upon the way,

From the burning of the noontide heat

And the burden of the day.

I take O cross thy shadow

For my abiding place.

I ask no other sunshine than

The sunshine of His face.

Content to let the world go by

To know no gain nor loss,

My sinful self my only shame,

My glory all the cross.

Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane | Frederick Charles Maker

© Words: Public Domain