The other day I was thinking about the concept of "Take Your Daughter to Work Day". As an awkward 7th grader, I remember taking advantage of the opportunity to skip class for a day and go to work with my dad, who is an oncologist in Columbus. Wearing some corduroy khakis and a nice brown sweater (yes...recalling outfits I wore in the past is one of my prized abilities), I marched around the office with my dad, watching with great pride at the way he did his job. I heard the way he spoke so compassionately to his new patients, promising them that together they would do everything to overcome this illness. I saw the hope that he provided to patients whom he had been seeing for awhile. Through the course of the day, I saw the desire and passion with which he did his job and loved that I was able to participate, in a small way, in the great things he was doing that day. And though my weak stomach and unbalanced psychological state caused me to pass out mid-visit and though I was unable to help him do his job in any way, I know that my dad enjoyed having me there with him.
And I was thinking about that experience a few nights ago as I was reading the Acts of the Apostles. Acts 17:24-25 says, "The God who made the world and all that is in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything. Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything". This God we believe in, the Creator of all the world and of every living thing, is in no need of our participation in his work. God could conquer all the evil in this world in one blink of the eye. He could fix all the world's problems; he could evangelize his people; he could speak more eloquently, forgive more completely, and love more intensely than we can. Simply put, God does not NEED us to accomplish anything. But the beatiful reality is that he DESIRES our participation. We're his kids and finds joy in having us participate in his work.
Our Heavenly Father literally limits himself so as to allow us, his children, to participate in his work. God could do everything more effectively, more efficiently, and more accurately than us. Yet he desires our participation. He desires to collaborate with us. He takes pleasure in seeing us use the gifts he has given us. And he wants us to be in relationship with him so that we can receive the grace we need to accomplish his work.
My dad didn't enjoy having me at work with him because I was better than him at dictating charts or administering chemotherapy; my dad enjoyed having my at work because he simply enjoyed being with me. And though I caused some drama by passing out and though I probably made his work a little less effective that day, he enjoyed my presence with him. In just the same way, God recognizes that our sinfulness, brokenness, and pride place limits on his work. But he enjoys collaborating with us because he simply enjoys being in relationship with us. As we reflect on this concept, let us humbly recognize the love of the Creator--this God who humbles himself to use us and allow us to take part in his plans. And in doing so, perhaps instead of waking up tomorrow and asking God, "Can you please bless my plan today", maybe we could offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to a God who loves us enough to desire our participation in his plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment