Christian Living

What Makes Life Work?

by Robert [Bob] Schaetzle Sr. 
05/02/18
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                                   What Makes Life Work?     990 words             
                       by Robert Schaetzle

He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” Luke 13:18-19 RSV

Anybody ever see a mustard seed grow? Or for that matter has anyone ever witnessed any seed come up through the ground and become a beautiful flower or delicious fruit or vegetable to eat?

Asking the question: ‘What makes Life Work?’ is trusting that each part of our being will become something we do not yet see or understand.

“Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are thy thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 138: 16-17 

These words of Spiritual vision written by God through King David, reveal how God created each one of us on Purpose for His purpose. There is so much more to understanding life than just to examine the physiology of our anatomy, or any attempt to psychoanalyze individual behavior.

I like the parable of the mustard seed, because it can be used in so many ways. More than recognizing it as illustration to watch our faith grow, it can reveal how we mature into our adulthood of reasoning and learning wisdom to mold our living. We develop a personality and learn of things we like to do, that may one day turn into our choice of vocation training.

What makes a person want to be a doctor, become a civil engineer, study law, become a teacher, or study political science, to go into politics? What makes individuals want to serve the needy, and give their life caring others, employed in social services?  I’m ever thanking our Lord for the years He’s given me.

God blessed our home with five wonderful children, who now have family’s of their own. The older I get, God reveals to me those trying times I went through to allow me to understand and recognize; He was walking with me through all my day.

Situations when God was testing even me to trust Him, and not for me to depend upon human reasoning and strength. Especially throughout my early childhood, I managed to learn to do some things in an unconventional way because of my paralysis and limited physical restrictions. 

Life to me, like a puzzle, was and is… a lot of work learning to put the pieces together, knowing that everything I do is an action of faith!

The beauty of it all; is that in our Lord’s eyes, there is no one person better than another, regardless of their field of vocational choice, in the way they might be interested in living out their lives.

Sharing these thoughts with you and experiences I’ve encountered, I hope will set the scene for more what I want us each to learn, in what makes life work. Living is not to be a melodrama of hopelessness, nor do our experiences always keep us on top of the world. But throughout each moment of every hour through the day, the power of God’s presence is there to lead us. We need ever to think He’s taken a vacation and forgot about you or me.

I began a journey of reading through the bible each year probably for over 35 years now, to know more and more, those thousands of promises given and waiting for me, by putting my life into God’s full authority and love. To bring more than a glimpse of life, but a reality of God’s blessed assurance through His infallible word.

                                    Pressing toward the Goal

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” Philippians 3:12-16

By faith let’s continue our journey with hope, and purpose that will last through eternity.  Over the years God through His Son, did answer my question… ‘If Jesus is, what then?’

God’s reply to my question came in… “ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”  Mathew 15:25 NKJV 

What has made life enjoyable and endurable for me is my intimate desire to truly know God! Not just know about Him, but truly desire my personal relationship with Him. Don’t just be a casual acquaintance with our Savior, but purpose to recognize God’s presence in every waking moment throughout your living in Him!

As we press on toward the goal for the prize of God’s upward call for each one of us, learning to let God be the supreme authority and controller of our heart, mind, will, emotions; we begin to understand ‘New birth,’ that which only God can do through sanctification of leaning on Him more and ourselves a lot less.

What we’re about each day starts with something! As we grow and age, we’ll look back and hopefully recognize God’s authority and presence within all we’ve done and experienced.

What makes life work….?  Is all about God leading us on His level path of righteousness, to His honor and glory, not about our self!