Job Well Done

I’ve been working on fixing up the family room in my house by tearing down paneling and putting up drywall in its place.  Once I finish, I’ll be putting up new trim and crown molding, changing the outlets, and (with much assistance) installing a new French door.

I can see the picture of exactly what I want it to look like in my head.  Crisp, white trim will line the ceiling and floor.  A deep gray color will cover the walls.  And a few rich, dark accents will make everything stand out.  In my head, it looks fantastic.  And with each step I take in the process, the reality around me starts to look more and more like the vision in my head.  It’s exciting.

Although I’m not in a particular rush to get the project done, I don’t want to be staring at exposed mud and tape in September.  Much sooner than that, I should be able to sit down on the couch with a glass of iced tea in hand and say to myself, “Job well done.”

But sometimes my choices betray my vision.  When faced with the choice to climb a rickety step ladder with a drill in hand or to sit on the couch with a remote, I often choose the couch.  And each time I choose the La-Z-Boy instead of the ladder, I am making a choice to not reach my goal.  I am making a choice to give up my vision for another day.

Why would I ever purposely choose to give up my goals?  Why would anyone allow a good, attainable vision simply slide out of reach?

The truth is that we wouldn’t.  We would not so easily give up our dreams if we kept them in front of us.  The problem is that our dreams fall into the background, overshadowed by a hazy fog of ambivalence or pushed to the side by bright flashing distractions that surround us.

We know that we can’t put up drywall while sitting on the couch.  We know that we can’t lose weight by eating donuts.  We know that we can’t advance in our careers without learning new skills.

And we know that we can’t follow Christ without actually doing what he says.  We know that we can’t make disciples if we never speak the truth.  We know that we can’t grow in our relationship with God without reading his word.

We know these things.

But often our actions do not match our goals.

So what’s your goal?  What’s your vision?  Are you making the choices today that will make that vision a reality tomorrow?

Someday soon, I want to put the ladder away and say to myself, “Job well done.”  But more than that, someday soon, I want to hear Jesus Christ say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21 & 23).  Am I living today in a way that will make that a reality?

A New Old Song: Holy Holy Holy

I love music.  New music.  Different music.  Music that I didn’t listen to yesterday.  Yesterday it was Andrew Bird.  Today Zero 7.  Last week it was Credence Clearwater Revival; this week it is Apocolyptica.  While, like anyone, I tend to gravitate towards particular genres, I also like to expand my musical horizon, being open to new sounds and rhythms that have previously been foreign to me.

In the Psalms, we are repeatedly instructed to sing a new song to the Lord.  What a valuable command!  I can hardly imagine how boring church would be if we were still singing the same “contemporary” songs I sang in my church in the 90’s.

It is exciting to know that as we pass into new life, we will have new songs also.  The book of Revelation mentions new songs multiple times (Rev. 5:9, 14:3).

But I often wonder if I have a fair picture of heaven in my head.  Does heaven captivate me as it should?  Does it motivate me to persevere, to invite others to join me, to love?

Sometimes in my limited view of heaven, it doesn’t seem very interesting.  Why would I want to go to heaven, and give up my Daft Punk or Sonata Arctica?  As we look ahead to the future presented in the Bible, it may sometimes seem like the musical variety of this world seems to fade.  Those in God’s presence seem to only be able to sing one thing: holy holy holy . . . holy . . . holy.

Won’t it get old?

We’ve recently been singing the Revelation Song in the Sunday morning worship services at my church.  The lyrics are not new at all.  In fact, they are as old as the Bible itself, taken from the Book of Revelation.  But as I sing these familiar words crafted in a fresh melody, the presence of God moves through me in a fresh way as well.  The old, the familiar, the worn, has been made new and exciting.

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

Holy, holy is He

Sing a new song to Him who sits on

Heaven’s mercy seat

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come

With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings

You are my everything and I will adore You

Confronted with God’s presence, all creation in Revelation is aware of God’s immense apartness.  He is holy, holy, holy.  And everyone in his presence is so captivated by his holiness that singing about anything else seems trivial.  Imagine how trivial it would feel to sing about failed love, frustrated relationships, unexpected hardships, when confronted with the holy holy God Almighty.  He makes love perfect.  He restores relationships.  He wipes away the tears of our hardships.  Why sing about anyone or anything else?

Now imagine having that future vision of God today.  Jesus repeatedly proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven is near.  In one sense, it is already here now.  Why wait until all the future pieces are put together before starting to celebrate the holiness of our creator in a new and powerful way?  Through prayer and the presence of the Holy Spirit, we can experience God’s humbling holiness right now.  So sing a new song.

Sing a new old song:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come.