I LIKE TO-DO LISTS. If you’re a doer like me, it may have crossed your mind that having a clear To-Do list from God where you can tick off items one by one would be super helpful. Thankfully this is not how He works. A To-Do list would negate the need for both faith and relationship and would result in us “running ahead,” trying to do stuff in our own strength. The real tragedy, however, would not be the mess we would undoubtedly make, but rather the tragedy of missing out on the joy and richness of walking out every aspect of our life with God.
Which leads me to this hypothetical question:
If your assignment on this earth was solely to know God and be known by God - and never known by humans - would that be enough for you? If you alone were given no call to ministry, no influence to possess, no meaningful job to do, no branding of “success,” no global reach and no remembrance of your life once you left the earth - would the assignment to know God intimately and being known by Him be ‘enough’ for you?
Now, the good Christian answer is Yes. But it’s worthwhile to take a moment to search your heart and see if anything else comes up.
The reality is that life in Christ is an exciting one: each of us has a unique assignment and there are many “adventures in faith” that we have yet to go on. As Believers, each of us is a unique part of the body, called to serve in a special way. We have been given the Great Commission and we have the authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. However, let us never let anything we 'do' for the Kingdom be more important than our desire to love the King and be in an ever-deepening relationship with Him. In Matthew 7 we read of the day when Jesus will say to some of the people who cast out demons, healed the sick and raised the dead: “I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
It's not wrong to want to do things and achieve things - in life and for the Kindgom. I want to do stuff. I also get satisfaction from a job well done. I also want to do meaningful work, and I also want my life to make a difference. None of that is wrong. But I mustn’t - we mustn’t - ever let what we achieve in this life and what we "do for God” be a greater priority or a greater focus than our relationship with Him and the privilege of ministering to His heart.
The truth of the matter is this: any lasting things we will ever “do for God” will only ever flow out of relationship with Him. Remember, it's Slaves who get a To-Do list; Children get the privilege of relationship.
The importance of knowing God will always be greater than what we can do for Him - and certainly more important that what He can do for us. We are co-laborers with Christ but let us remember we are firstly lovers of Christ. The 'doing' flows out of the 'being.'
“But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ's sake. Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),”
Philippians 3:7-8 AMPC