Connecting Our Work to God’s Work

Paul J. Bucknell

A new book is coming soon: Gaining Life Perspective: A biblical theology of success

"I Just Deleted it!" || The Three Tools

Purpose

Provides three specific tools to help one analyze the value of one’s works in light of their temporary and eternal benefits. This is part 1/2.

One of the most dreaded feelings is the realization that I just lost something that I had invested a lot of time in.

This has literally happened to me several times when I realized I had accidentally deleted some files–projects, articles, folders including many items.

Since that time, I have been much guarded against such deletions and even secure several backups. But what if we suddenly realized that all our life’s work suddenly vaporized and became, in essence, deleted–useless and without value?

There is no doubt that Christians are warned, along with the world, that what we do can perish and bring no eternal reward. John says, “And the world is passing away, and also its lusts” (1 John 2:17).

Paul, speaking of his ministry with the Thessalonians, “For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain” (1 Th 3:5 NASB). We must be alert to not lose the value of what we have long labored.

It is essential that we connect our work to God’s work to make it genuinely significant, to turn what is transient into eternal. It is not wrong for us to desire that what we do is important, but sometime our values are opposite to what they should be.

Many of us think of ourselves as insignificant and meaningless when people don’t recognize our work–or certain people don’t acknowledge it, etc.

Where in fact, we should be highly concerned whether God thinks what we do as valuable and, as He graciously promises, to make sure eternal rewards derive from those faithful works. Because our values are often upside down, we extend great value to that which perishes and little or no value (or thought) to that which extends into eternity. We want to make “the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:16).

There are three special phrases that can help us evaluate our works, that is, all those deeds and activities that we have done and will engage in.

Discipleship #3 Library

This article and many others are part of our Digital Library #3 which helps mature Christians more effectively and nurture their spiritual lives.

Next (part 2/2): The Three Tools

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Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell

info@foundationsforfreedom.net

Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted
(C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1988