How Will You Respond?

The past couple of weeks have been difficult.  An employee who I’ve known most of my government career passed away.  He was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known – not just book smart but able to apply what he knew practically.  He was one of the people who trained me early on and I learned a lot from him….not just about work, but about loving family and being kind.  His funeral was yesterday and the minister said something that I’ve heard before but it resonated with me - We will have to give an account of how we’ve lived our lives and be judged (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:12).  Maybe it’s because I turned 50 in Dec or because someone I worked directly with passed away or because the last year has brought more loss than any of us imagined, but I realized I’m closer to standing before the throne today than I was yesterday.  Soon, whether tomorrow or 50 years from now (which feels like a long time, but it’s really not), I will have to explain to the Father what I’ve been doing with my life – how I’ve lived and what I’ve done with the gifts He gave me.  

It actually gave me pause.  I had to ask myself, “Am I doing all I’m supposed to do?” Sure, I do lots of stuff.  I work with the middle school and college ministry. Yes, I lead family bible study.  Absolutely, my faith is incorporated in my work life just like my personal life – what you see is what you get.  But, do I consider the Lord in every decision?  Do I spend enough time with Him?  Am I using my gifts in a way that pleases Him?  Am I walking in my gifts so that they make room for me?  Am I doing enough for others?  Am I moving when the Holy Spirit prompts me to move? Do I know His voice well enough to identify Him over the other voices speaking to me? Is what others think of me more important than doing God’s will?  Am I using my own judgement in place of godly wisdom? Am I living my life according to God’s word or what society says is okay?  Am I using my time wisely?  Am I focused on God and my relationship with Him through Jesus and allowing everything else to pour out of that? Or am I focused on what keeps me comfortable? 

All of these questions are ones I need to answer to make sure I can answer God positively when I stand before Him at His throne.  For sure, I sin.  I commit sins every day, whether through a wrong thought or saying something inadvertently and given the right set of circumstances, I might intentionally sin (meaning God tells me to do something, I do something else).  Case in point, the other day, I went to get gas – the Holy Spirit had already prompted me as to where I needed to go, but I decided not to go where I was prompted.  I went somewhere else (my usual spot), wasting time and gas, because when I got to the first gas station there was no gas; when I rolled by the second, there was a long line (I had to get to work); and when I finally went to the third (the one I’d been prompted to go to in the first place), there was only one or two cars and no shortage of pumps or gas.  How much time would I have saved if I’d just followed the leading of the Holy Spirit in the first place?  According to James 4:17, to know what is right and not do it is sin to you.  I had to ask for forgiveness, because He had already told me what to do and I did something else.  

I’m so grateful that God gives us an opportunity to ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and because I know I’m His, I know He hears me (1 John 5:14) and forgives me, but that doesn’t give me license to sin unrepentantly.  Just because I know my parents love me and will do whatever they can for me, doesn’t mean I take advantage of that love and use them or mistreat them or dishonor them.  God is the same, just because He give us grace and mercy, is not a license to do whatever we want (Romans 6). He is still God and worthy of all praise and glory and obedience.  If we love Him, we want to please Him and that means knowing Him well enough to know what He likes (John 14:21).  Have you ever tried to please someone you don’t know?  Remember, how hard it was to think of a real gift for that person whose likes and dislikes you didn’t know? The same applies to God.  

If we have to give an account of our life and Christ will judge it, I want my answer to be pleasing to Him and the only way for that to happen is to know Him.  I must know how God wants me to live and strive to do that.  Just like any parent, He expects us not to get it right all the time.  He knows we’re not perfect and He’s not asking for perfection.  He loves us just as we are, but He wants what’s best for us like any parent and that makes me want to do things that make Him proud.  Just as God told Jesus when Jesus was baptized, that He was well pleased, I want Him to say the same thing about me.  When you are asked the questions about your life and you give an account of all you’ve done, how will you respond?  Will He be well pleased with your answer?