EDIM 5 - Purpose
I'm just going to admit it... I have no idea what to write about tonight, so let's just see what happens. Mm.... I spent this weekend out at a summer camp in Exira Iowa called "Bethany Camp". Camp has as of yet, always been held throughout the month of June, being split into 4 age group camps for the weekdays of the 4 weeks available. Occasionally a saturday is organized, dubbed "Men's Work Day", though the women involved do lots of noble work as well. Many different things that are all good, though cooking a wonderful lunch never goes unnoticed.
So yeah, this weekend was a men's work day, and that reminds me that I did end up with something to share as the day came to a close. It was after thinking on the relative fruitlessness of work, something I've mulled over for several months now with several different observations and outcomes. I'm not surprised the suicide rate is what it is.... rather more surprised it isn't higher.
For without Christ, what really is the point? I know in answering myself, life invariably turns to abject selfseeking, whether it be through good intentions or not. Family, sex, fame, food, charity, religion, whatever. The thing is that everything degrades over time (another reason why evolution is stupid, but I'll move on rather than trek down that path), making work a continuous cycle of tedious necessity. Over this very weekend I found myself questioning why I was doing this wide variety of normally futile tasks, realizing why they were not futile. For the purposes of an example alone I'll share some I suppose. Some of the things I did this weekend involved pulling weeds, drywalling, steelroof trim and edgecaps, and spelunking to vacuum the camp swimming pool. Also, any jargon is completely untrustworthy and not to be repeated, as a result of on-the-spot conjuration. Let's just make that assured.
Point being, I did find myself wondering why I was submitting to doing any of this stuff at all. It's not as if I wouldn't have to do it again somewhere and sometime else. But, I did it anyway, because of purpose. Jesus creates purpose for living, which means in basest terms, that pulling weeds really is worth doing, because life really is worth living.
Without Christ, there is no reason to build stuff that will break down. Or clean things that will get dirty. Or cook food for people you really don't know enough to care about. Or repair the dozen and one things always breaking down. Or do anything at all besides that which is necessary for continued life, that life which has no purpose other than the wants of the self, those wants filled with crushing, deceptive, hollow purpose.
Those in Christ do have purpose, and to have that makes you strong. I'm not sure the beginning of Romans 12 is the best fitting to end with, but I'll use it anyway. (I'd love to hear other suggestions!)
"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -his good, pleasing and perfect will."
So yeah, this weekend was a men's work day, and that reminds me that I did end up with something to share as the day came to a close. It was after thinking on the relative fruitlessness of work, something I've mulled over for several months now with several different observations and outcomes. I'm not surprised the suicide rate is what it is.... rather more surprised it isn't higher.
For without Christ, what really is the point? I know in answering myself, life invariably turns to abject selfseeking, whether it be through good intentions or not. Family, sex, fame, food, charity, religion, whatever. The thing is that everything degrades over time (another reason why evolution is stupid, but I'll move on rather than trek down that path), making work a continuous cycle of tedious necessity. Over this very weekend I found myself questioning why I was doing this wide variety of normally futile tasks, realizing why they were not futile. For the purposes of an example alone I'll share some I suppose. Some of the things I did this weekend involved pulling weeds, drywalling, steelroof trim and edgecaps, and spelunking to vacuum the camp swimming pool. Also, any jargon is completely untrustworthy and not to be repeated, as a result of on-the-spot conjuration. Let's just make that assured.
Point being, I did find myself wondering why I was submitting to doing any of this stuff at all. It's not as if I wouldn't have to do it again somewhere and sometime else. But, I did it anyway, because of purpose. Jesus creates purpose for living, which means in basest terms, that pulling weeds really is worth doing, because life really is worth living.
Without Christ, there is no reason to build stuff that will break down. Or clean things that will get dirty. Or cook food for people you really don't know enough to care about. Or repair the dozen and one things always breaking down. Or do anything at all besides that which is necessary for continued life, that life which has no purpose other than the wants of the self, those wants filled with crushing, deceptive, hollow purpose.
Those in Christ do have purpose, and to have that makes you strong. I'm not sure the beginning of Romans 12 is the best fitting to end with, but I'll use it anyway. (I'd love to hear other suggestions!)
"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -his good, pleasing and perfect will."
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