Divided – Me From the Inside Out

Commentary Based on Christ Is All I Need

Week 6, Day 3 / For the Lord, not for People

Read: Colossians 3:22-4:1; Matthew 25:34-40 / SOAP: Colossians 3:23-24

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24 NLT

Our Best¹, a hymn that has stuck with me since childhood, became one God has used over the years to whisper this reminder: “Do then the best you can, not for reward, ~ Not for the praise of men, but for the Lord.” In a recent post from another’s day journey, we talked about how God can use music to cause His Word to “richly dwell in our hearts”, and this is a prime example for me. I had to look up the hymn today to share all of the words with you, but these two lines and the chorus, particularly the last line, have never been forgotten: “Do then the best you can, not for reward, ~ Not for the praise of men, but for the Lord… but unto Him is due our best, our all.” God has used it as a check and balance for me, prodding me to consider why I am doing something and/or whether I am doing my best.

Similarly, He often prods me with the words from Living for Jesus, making me ask myself: am I living true to Jesus, am I striving to please Him in all that I do, am I yielding my allegiance to Him, or is it divided between Him and the world, as Jesus admonished Peter in Matthew 16:23 and as James wrote to the “twelve tribes” of Jews scattered throughout the world, warning them to not let their minds be divided between God and the world (James 1:5-8).

Friends, the words of these songs are prime examples of how God not only keeps His Word dwelling richly within us but also how personally He is involved in and concerned about our lives, our minds, and the choices we make. He is a protective and proactive God. He is loving and gentle in His correction and teaching methods. He is faithful and true and an ever-present help, not just in trouble but in helping us to avoid trouble. Who can question these truths when this feeble and forgetful mind remembers such obscure songs from ages past (five to six decades ago), and not for the purpose of singing but for God’s correction, guidance, or help?

The point of Paul’s words in the closing verses of Colossians chapter 3 is to, once again, remind the people that they have been given a new life, one they are meant to live for God’s glory and not man’s. I love the words of the New English Translation here: “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.” As in verse 17, the word whatever literally means whatever or everything. Whether it is in the home, in an office, or helping someone in need … whatever we do, we are to do it with excitement, with the Lord in mind and not the people around us. Doing it for the accolades or notice of those around us may bring temporary applause and/or recognition, but doing it “as to the Lord” is Paul’s way of reminding believers that our real rewards are not received in this life. And, as bibleref.com explains: “God’s inheritance, our eternal dwelling place with Him, will far exceed the trials and limitations of this life. Paul sought once again to focus readers on things above rather than the daily concerns of this life.” He wanted them to understand that living for Jesus is a way of thanking/honoring God for our salvation through His Son.

Living for Jesus is a way of thanking and honoring God for our salvation from God through His Son.
Mefromthensideout.com🦋

Living for Jesus²

Response of Worship

Hey friends, I couldn’t find either song that I used in the blog to share here in the worship response. But this one by the Gaithers caught my attention with the reminder that, having done the best that we can, not for the praise of man but for the Lord, we will one day wear a crown. When we are found “doing each duty in His holy name; willing to suffer affliction and loss, deeming each trial a part of our cross …” I can only imagine we will hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” May this lift your mind upward to think about the things of Heaven and not the things of earth ~ as Paul encouraged us in his letter; and may it move all of us to live and work with enthusiasm for the Lord, and not for people, for we know that we will one day receive our inheritance from the Lord as the reward.

Prayer of Response

Oh Father, may we live this life You have given us well. May we live it for Your glory and not our own. May we live it in love and kindness, showing mercy and grace to others as You have shown to us. May we live it, not in our own strength but in Yours. May we strive to please You in all that we do, yielding our allegiance with joyful thanksgiving – not just for blessings that You give – but that we might, even in some small way, bring You pleasure and joy. May the things we do out of duty be done not begrudgingly but in love and thankfulness for what Christ has done for us on the cross. Thank You that He is our Lord and our Master; may our hearts forever and faithfully be His throne and our lives given to live for Him alone. And Father, as we live out our lives like this, please use us as lights to draw others to You. May everything we do and say be done for Your Glory – now and always – Amen.

Reflection and Application

What does it mean to do all our work “as to the Lord and not for people?

Is this how you are living?
What, if anything, can you work on in this area of your life?

The More We Know

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Matthew 16:23

⁵If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ⁶But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:5-8

Hymnary.org ↩︎
Hymnary.org ↩︎

Scripture: Psalm 119:113-120 / SOAP verses 113-115

I hate those with divided loyalties,
    but I love your instructions.
¹¹⁴You are my refuge and my shield;
    your word is my source of hope.
¹¹⁵Get out of my life, you evil-minded people,
    for I intend to obey the commands of my God.
¹¹⁶Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live!
    Do not let my hope be crushed.
¹¹⁷Sustain me, and I will be rescued;
    then I will meditate continually on your decrees.
¹¹⁸But you have rejected all who stray from your decrees.
    They are only fooling themselves.
¹¹⁹You skim off the wicked of the earth like scum;
    no wonder I love to obey your laws!
¹²⁰I tremble in fear of you;
    I stand in awe of your regulations.
Psalm 119:113-120 NLT

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Matthew 16:23 NLT

Observations of Today’s Journey

When our loyalty is divided between God and the world/man, we are a hindrance to the Gospel and the work of God. Actually, according to Jesus, we are an instrument of the devil! For this reason, if for no other, we must search for God – seek His Word – and love His instructions. We must use His Word as a shield and refuge – a source of HOPE – ridding ourselves of evil-minded people and determining to choose obedience to God’s commands over the fear of man or the pleasures of this world.

It has become increasingly easy for Christians in the 21st century to have divided loyalties—defined by Jesus as setting our minds on the things of man rather than on the things of God, or as the New Living Translation puts it, “seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” We tend to view things as right or wrong from the standpoint of what seems fair to us or what has become acceptable in the world/culture around us – rather than what God has deemed right or wrong in His Word. This is a dangerous way for anyone to live, but certainly for the believer. – Look again at the words of the Psalmist for what awaits the wicked.

But you have rejected all who stray from your decrees. They are only fooling themselves. You skim off the wicked of the earth like scum; no wonder I love to obey your laws! I tremble in fear of you; I stand in awe of your regulations.

Just in case you find yourself thinking – yeah, but believers aren’t held to a standard of obedience – please consider the words of Christ, who said in John 14:15 –

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

If you still find yourself wanting to make excuses and defend your choices as modern-day acceptances, then think about these words of the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome and in Galatia:

Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! ¹⁶Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Romans 6:15-16

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Still not convinced that God’s ways are always meant to supersede the ways or cultural norms of the world’s standard? Consider these words of Paul –

Living out today’s Journey through application

Let’s face it—it isn’t easy to live counterculturally, but it is God’s call upon our lives. Jesus said that if we want to follow Him, we must turn from our wicked ways, deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him. We must join the Psalmist and guard against divided loyalties by keeping our eyes/minds on God and His Word, loving ‘it’ and Him more than the world and anything it has to offer us. We must be determined to live righteously rather than following the ways of what God sees and deems as wicked. We must remember that we are utterly dependent on Him (ps. 62:6-7). We must set His Word as our shield and refuge and look to Him to sustain us in our commitment to love Him by obeying His commands. We must heed the words of James, who said:

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:8

Responding to the Journey Through Prayer

Father,

It has become increasingly easy for Christians in the 21st century to have divided loyalties—which Jesus said was setting our minds on the things of man rather than on the things of God, or as the New Living Translation puts it, “seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” We tend to view things as right or wrong from the standpoint of what seems fair to us or what has become acceptable in the world/culture around us – rather than what You have deemed right or wrong in Your Word. This is a dangerous way for anyone to live, but certainly for the believer. – I join the Psalmist in declaring that You are my source of HOPE! Help me to draw near to You continually, not letting my mind be divided between You and the world. Sustain me in my commitment to obey Your commands, and rid me of any evil-minded companions. May You find me faithfully living according to Your Word and standing firm against the things You have deemed evil. – My hope is in You, Lord! – Amen and Amen –

Tag: Divided

Our Best ~ Our All