Be Pulled By The Vision
“If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” ~ Steve Jobs
I love going to Walt Disney World in Florida. I really do. I have been doing so pretty much on an annual basis since I was ordained forty-three years ago. Anyone who knows me knows that I love going there. Anyone who knows anyone who knows me knows that I love going there. It is no secret at all.
I love cruising. I have sailed on many different lines — Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Princess, Holland America — and have sailed often. I average at least one cruise a year. Again, anyone who knows me knows that I love cruising. And, as a matter of fact, I am schedule to fly to Barcelona this evening for a transatlantic cruise beginning Sunday.
Before I retired, I worked pretty hard throughout the year. The older I got, I tried not to slow down and I continued to work as hard as possible. However, I would need some relief from the constant work the older I got. That is why my vacations spoke even louder to me. They pulled me toward the “next time”. I planned ahead, marked them in my calendar, and looked to the next time at Disney or the next time at sea. Now that I’m retired, you should see my calendar. There’s no more work scheduled, but there is a heaping helping of Disney and cruising.
All that being said, I love the Lord as well. I love serving the Lord. I love serving the Lord in His people. I try to reach out to as many people as possible and to do as much for them as humanly possible. I do it because I really care about the Lord and I take His mandate of service seriously. I do not think that I have to be forced to do what I do. I do it willingly and as completely as possible. Now that I have retired, I will try to find new and creative ways to serve God’s people. I may not be able to do it as an actively assigned pastor, but I can serve others nonetheless.
All this is a long way of saying that I know my passions and I know how and why they drive me. They give me hope and comfort as well as vision and clarity. They are the reason that I do what I do and they sustain me in all that I do. I agree with Steve Jobs completely: “If you are working on something you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
Does the Lord excite you? Does your faith fulfill you? Does the practice of your faith nourish you and prompt you to do more? If not, you might want to ask yourself how your lost your passion. Because it is only in caring about the Lord and the faith that you will be able to sustain the pace of being a committed Christian.
If you are being forced to practice the faith, it is going to be meaningless to you. You must want to do it. You must want to embrace it as completely as possible. You must want to serve the Lord with all your heart.
The Lord wants you to serve Him completely; but, He will never force you. He has given you free will to choose what you are going to do. Let your love for Him motivate you wisely and completely.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to give you a deeper appreciation and love for the faith so that it may inspire you to do even more today. And, if I may, please pray for a safe and smooth flight from Chicago to Barcelona this evening and throughout the night.