"Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God." (Oswald Chambers)
I think what I appreciate most about this quote from this seasoned and legendary Christian writer is that he understands the distinction between a person's concentration (loving focus) on God and doing things for God.
Working to do things that obviously please God is one of many ways to show our love for Him. However, if that is all we do for Him - to the neglect of our true relationship with Him and those He puts closest to us in our lives - we aren't really loving Him.
In my own life I first encountered this in myself when I was new to being a full time Christian worker....new to being "in the ministry", if you will. I found myself neglecting my wife and children in my zeal to do things for God. It was good but heartbreaking for me when I realized that in so doing, I was neglecting primary earthly relationships entrusted to me by the Lord Himself.
I repented and have since tried to allow the Lord to lead me in what I believe to be a more balanced approach to ministry: loving God by devoting myself to my wife and children (and now grand-children and in-law-children) and then OTHER people and tasks to which He would have me devote myself on His behalf.
It is my hope that for the rest of my days He will reveal things to me that need adjusting, healing, restoring...even abandoning...so the real me in Christ can become more and more free to really worship Him.
I hope the same for all my sisters and brothers in Christ.
Pastor Mike McInerney
Mike McInerney Ministries, Inc.
© October 3, 2014
(For use with permission)