living for the cause

This week Beverly and I watched the movie Amazing Grace. It is the story of William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was the driving force behind the abolition of slavery in the 1800's in Great Britain. While the movie seemed slow at times, it moved me deeply. Wilberforce's story is one of a man who gave his life to accomplish the work of God in society. In spite of repeated setbacks, Wilberforce lived to see Great Britain outlaw slavery.

Wilberforce literally gave his life to accomplish something beyond himself. This is the pattern of Jesus. Paul, the apostle, describes Jesus' life in the following words:

Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name... (Philippians 2:5-9)

Jesus gave His life for the accomplishment of God's purposes in the world. As a result, the world was forever changed. Jesus gave His life for two things. (1) To be with the Father and accomplish His purposes and (2) to serve people in a way that restored them to place intended by the Father.

I believe that each of us has the same opportunity to "live large" and give our life to accomplish God's purposes in the world today. Unfortunately the difficulties usually cause people to choose a "small life" (a life that revolves around themselves and their comfort) and as such never really accomplish anything with their time. Too often we choose the way of safety, sacrificing the opportunity to truly do God-sized things for our own comfort. A wealthy young man came to Jesus but was unwilling to disburse his puny wealth in order to participate with God in his world. (Any amount of wealth is puny compared to the greatness of partnering with God in the redemption of creation).

I choose to live my life for a cause, for the cause of Christ and His current work in the world today. The cause motivates me to willingly sacrifice things people hold dear so that the rule of God can be established on the earth today. I will give my life for a cause that is beyond the comforts of self-centeredness.

Someday I will have to give an account for what I did with my life. I want my life to have radically effected eternity. I want the purposes of God to be evident in the way I lived. I want people to experience all that God has for them because of the way I lived.

Today I choose to live for a cause beyond me. I choose to partner with God and I choose to serve people.