My Commitment to You

Yesterday God gave me a devotion for today, I thought. Then later on I started wondering if this blog was ever going to make a big difference. If you haven't figured it out yet, I am one of those people that if I am going to do it, it will be done correctly. I hate to admit it, but I have trouble doing the small jobs, not because I think I am too good for that, but because if I do something it should make a difference, it should improve things in a big way. I have spent hours reorganizing an area because I knew my way was better, and would speed up the process, and I was right. I don't care about being recognized for what I do, I don't care about being the boss, I am perfectly happy to work in the background, nobody ever noticing me, but I do like to hear people say that things are better, not that I did it, but that they are better, and if I have to be the boss to accomplish this, then so be it. I hope this makes sense. Anyway, I was praying about it, asking God to give me peace that at some point in time I would be making a difference in someone's life, even if I never know it, even though I want to see the fruit of my labor. I want to share with you some of the verses He gave me, I know I have talked about this theme before, but I feel it needs to be said again, if just for me.
First thing He told me is that I don't need to worry about how many people are "following", or how many people read on a regular basis, or how often they read, my job is to post the devotions He gives me, and according to 1 Cor. 3:5-8 "God giveth the increase". In other words I have nothing to do with that. Acts 1:7 tells us that "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power". I may be dead and in heaven before this blog reaches one person, then again it may happen today, God knows and that is all that matters, that part is not my job. Phil. 2:13 tells me that God works in me, both in His will, and for His good pleasure. In other words, if He wants me doing this just because He thinks its funny then I am supposed to do it. However He does not do anything just because it is funny, we are told that if His word goeth out, it will not return null and void, someone, somewhere, sometime will accept Christ as their Savior because of this.
Turn back over to 1 Cor 4:2 it says that it is required that I be found faithful in what God has asked me to do. It does not say it is expected, or that it is appreciated, it says that it is required. Required means "or else".
But, you know what, it does not matter that it is required, that is not why I do it. Phil. 3:13-14 tells why I do it, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus". I push toward the finish line, I struggle through my life toward my death, so I can receive the gift promised by God through His son Jesus. The gift being eternity in heaven, once I complete this life. 2 Tim. 4:7 says about the same thing when it says "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith". It is my hope and desire, my goal to get to the end of my life, and look back and be able to say that despite some failure's especially at the beginning, I have done the job God wanted me to do. Not because He commanded, and I was afraid not to comply, not because of any thing I might receive in eternity, but because He loved me enough to send His son to die to pay sins price, so that He might be my advocate with the Father. First of all, it is my reasonable duty to live for Him if He died for me, but more importantly because of His love for me, I love Him more than I love my own life, and you do things for those you love. You do everything you can to make them happy, because it makes you happy to make them happy.
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible" 1 Cor 9:24-25. This is the beginning of a thought that is finished in 2 Tim 4:7, where Paul says he finished his (race) course, he is specifically talking about a marathon race, not just any race, but a long distance endurance test. Here he is telling us that our lives are a race to the finish, just like in a earthly race where a prize is given to those who finish in the lead, we also can receive a prize, however this prize will never pass away, never end it is for eternity. If people can subject themselves to a marathon, (which does not make sense to me), then why can't I fight for my prize in heaven? Other than me just being lazy, more afraid of what people think than what God thinks, or me turning my back toward God and walking out of His will. Anyone that knows me will tell you I am not lazy, I don't care what people think spend anytime around me you'll figure that out, that leaves me being out of God's will. As long as I don't turn my back on Him, I stay in His will and do what He wants. He will never ever, never turn His back on me, therefore He will give me all the help I need to stay in His will, and do what He wants me to do. He does not need me to do anything, He can get someone else to do it, but He gives me an opportunity to please Him, and earn a prize in heaven. I love Him enough to please Him, so what He ask I will do, even if I don't see the benefit, because I know He does.
Let me make this clear, at no time was I thinking of not doing the blog. I just have a need to see the results of my work. I pick up small scraps of paper off the floor, just because it needs to be done. It's like this, when I became a restaurant manager, I accepted the position, because I knew I could make a difference, and I did, profits went up, costs went down, my customer satisfaction rating was 99.98%, I could see the results of my work. When I first started in shipping/receiving I spent a couple of days, working around my regular duties, to organize the warehouse, before I started stuff was sitting everywhere, and you could not find anything, after I finished, everything was lined up nice and neat, you could find what you needed, and we had more room, not to mention it just looked more professional (read better), I could see the result of my work. I have went in and scrubbed bathrooms, when it was not my job to do so, but when I finished you could see the results, I don't mind using a broom, or dust rag. I was helping set up for a banquet, there were 5 different type chairs in the banquet room, I had to take time to put all the same chairs at a table, instead of it just being haphazard, when I finished it looked better, even if it was something no one else wanted to do. So when I go weeks at at time without hearing any feedback, I get worried. I have been doing this for a couple of months now, and still the only readers I have are those I asked to help me, it is discouraging. I don't want to hear comments, and feedback to feed my ego, or make me feel important, I scrub toilets when it's not my job, do you really think I need to feel important? But, it does let me see the results of my labor. The important thing to me though is not the comments, or technically how many readers, but without increasing readership, we will never have a chance to reach someone. Which I think is the reason for doing this. However I have also said, it could just be God's way of making sure I do my devotion every day, because when I hurt, I will skip it, but with other depending on me not so much. I have went to work with a fever of 102, because I made a commitment to be there, they were counting on me to be there. I have went to work when I hurt so bad I could barely stand up, but I made a commitment. God made a commitment to me one day, and He will never fail to keep it, we are to be like Him as much as possible, so I keep my commitments. Even when I don't see the effects.