Be Occupied with Christ

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

Like most people this time of year, my husband and I have been “busy.” This busyness—brought on by multiple holiday parties, shopping, writing, teaching Bible study, working, life, and training for a 55-hour ultra as well—was beginning to wear on us so much that we admitted to feeling overwhelmed. At one point my husband asked me, “How did we get so busy?” To which I smiled and replied, “I don’t know but I do know that we can’t keep up this schedule.”

And while our schedules will most certainly clear up after the new year and the completion of the ultra (God willing of course), this season caused me to understand something. Busy is not always good.

You see, the definition of “busy” is having a great deal to do. But if the great deal to do isn’t done for Jesus, then busy is just a filling up of our schedules in vain. It’s doing things that will have no eternal value.

This was a theme my pastor and dear friend drove home yesterday in church when talking about the busyness of the season that apparently many others were feeling. “We are not to be busy,” he said. “We are to be occupied with Christ.” Oh boy. Did that hit home!

In other words, we are to, as Paul said, “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” knowing that the work we do for the Lord and building up the Kingdom is never in vain. This work of the Lord is the work of preaching, teaching, and being a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This work is to occupy our time and fully use our talents and treasures. This is not “busy” work but purposeful work done with the same tenacious attitude as Paul--who completed the job God had given him with unswerving dedication, recognizing that serving Christ involves real labor.

You can be sure, the rewards of heaven are worth going all out for too, which is what Paul meant when he said our labor is not in vain.

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Which is the very reason that, when the going gets tough or discouraging, ministers of the gospel (that's us!) must remember to “not grow weary in doing good,” even if, and especially when we aren’t seeing any fruit from our labors. You can be sure this is the time the enemy will whisper lies into our ears saying, “Just give up. What you’re doing doesn’t really matter.” This is the time when we need to remember that our job is to sow the Word and to pray over the seeds that were planted by doing so.

“But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Mark 4:20

And we must never ever give up!  As the Parable of the Sower illustrates to us, some of the seeds we plant will not endure or take root for various reasons but… the ones sown on good ground will bear much fruit! This is the reason, then, we must continue to plant and the reason we must not be “busy” with the things of this world but must keep our hearts and minds stayed on Jesus… abounding in the work of the Lord at all times, even in the “busy” seasons of life.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

So, as we celebrate this season, let me give you one more reminder my friend. If the devil can’t make us bad, he will make us busy. And since this is the time of year when people will be most receptive to hearing the Good News of the Gospel, we must not be too "busy” to grab hold of every opportunity to share it. Let us look at the extra events and responsibilities added to our schedules as opportunities (rather than inconveniences) to reach the lost and to declare that Jesus Christ came to give us the best gift ever… the gift of eternal life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that the world will "busy" us up with things that don't matter so that we don't have time for the things that do matter. Help us to be ultra discerning as we go through this Christmas season Lord that we would not become overwhelmed but would be found abounding in the work of the Lord and doing good. Thank You for the gift of salvation that your Son Jesus provided by his birth, death, burial, and resurrection. Help us to honor his sacrifice by living intent on serving You and and sharing the Good News. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!