I am satisfied with Jesus; He has done so much for me. He has suffered to redeem me; He has died to set me free.
He is with me in my trials; best of friends of all is he. I can always count on Jesus; can he always count on me?
I can hear the voice of Jesus, calling out so pleadingly, "Go and win the lost and straying; is He satisfied with me?"
I am satisfied, I am satisfied, I am satisfied with Jesus. But the question comes to me, as I think of Calvary, Is my Master satisfied with me?
Is He satisfied? Is He pleased with the work that I am doing every day? I don’t mean just the “church” work. I know that’s important, and I know it means a lot to write a check or give a donation. I know it matters that I support the choir or the sound team. I know it matters that someone irons the graduation gowns for the kindergarten. I know being there matters.
What about my job; my secular, we-don’t-care-about-your-God, just-process-the-waivers-and-return-them-to-duty job? Is He satisfied with how I perform at my work? Does that matter? In a place whose core values are “Integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do,” I think it does. I hear a lot of people that I serve with say that the core values we hold are just lipstick on a pig, and it can sometimes seem rare to see people who actually live them out in their work. Still, aren’t those core values biblical? I realize that the founders who chose the values weren’t necessarily thinking from a biblical perspective when they were adopted, but the values themselves do fit within the framework of biblical behavior.
Let’s look:
INTEGRITY
Psalm 25:21, Let integrity and uprightness preserve me…
Proverbs 10:9, He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.
SERVICE
Luke 6:31, And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
Ephesians 6:5, Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord and not to men…”
EXCELLENCE
Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.”
Proverbs 21:5, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”
2 Chronicles 15:7, “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”
And lastly, one that I believe encompasses all of the values:
1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
So, I’ll answer my own question… the one that asked, “Does it matter if God is satisfied with the way I do my work at my secular job?”
Yes. It matters because I am His. I bear His name as Christ-follower. If I do not have integrity, I dishonor my Savior. If I do not serve others before I serve my own selfish needs and desires, I dishonor my Savior, for that is why He came. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14.
If I do not do the very best I can do with the work I am given, I dishonor Him. If I cannot be faithful over this work that I am given today, how can I expect to be granted the opportunity to ever do anything more? “And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities” Luke 19:17. So, I will ask God daily to renew my spirit and bless my efforts to be faithful in this work that seemingly does not benefit the kingdom because I know that I must be diligent in the work that I do today if I am to have any hope of success in work that is more impactful, more meaningful, and more gratifying in the future. In my mind, there are so many other things that I could be doing that would be more valuable, worthy, or self-satisfying, but those are not the things I have been given to do; at least, not today.
Lord, help me to see the value in honoring You in the little things, so that when faced with opportunities to do work that holds a more heavenly value, I will be in heart, mind and spirit, prepared to dig in.
When my work on earth is ended, and I cross the mystic sea,
Oh, that I could hear him saying, “I am satisfied with thee.”
I am satisfied, I am satisfied I am satisfied with Jesus.
But the question comes to me, as I think of Calvary,
Is my Master satisfied with me?
He is with me in my trials; best of friends of all is he. I can always count on Jesus; can he always count on me?
I can hear the voice of Jesus, calling out so pleadingly, "Go and win the lost and straying; is He satisfied with me?"
I am satisfied, I am satisfied, I am satisfied with Jesus. But the question comes to me, as I think of Calvary, Is my Master satisfied with me?
Is He satisfied? Is He pleased with the work that I am doing every day? I don’t mean just the “church” work. I know that’s important, and I know it means a lot to write a check or give a donation. I know it matters that I support the choir or the sound team. I know it matters that someone irons the graduation gowns for the kindergarten. I know being there matters.
What about my job; my secular, we-don’t-care-about-your-God, just-process-the-waivers-and-return-them-to-duty job? Is He satisfied with how I perform at my work? Does that matter? In a place whose core values are “Integrity, service before self, and excellence in all we do,” I think it does. I hear a lot of people that I serve with say that the core values we hold are just lipstick on a pig, and it can sometimes seem rare to see people who actually live them out in their work. Still, aren’t those core values biblical? I realize that the founders who chose the values weren’t necessarily thinking from a biblical perspective when they were adopted, but the values themselves do fit within the framework of biblical behavior.
Let’s look:
INTEGRITY
Psalm 25:21, Let integrity and uprightness preserve me…
Proverbs 10:9, He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.
SERVICE
Luke 6:31, And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
Ephesians 6:5, Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord and not to men…”
EXCELLENCE
Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.”
Proverbs 21:5, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”
2 Chronicles 15:7, “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”
And lastly, one that I believe encompasses all of the values:
1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
So, I’ll answer my own question… the one that asked, “Does it matter if God is satisfied with the way I do my work at my secular job?”
Yes. It matters because I am His. I bear His name as Christ-follower. If I do not have integrity, I dishonor my Savior. If I do not serve others before I serve my own selfish needs and desires, I dishonor my Savior, for that is why He came. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14.
If I do not do the very best I can do with the work I am given, I dishonor Him. If I cannot be faithful over this work that I am given today, how can I expect to be granted the opportunity to ever do anything more? “And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities” Luke 19:17. So, I will ask God daily to renew my spirit and bless my efforts to be faithful in this work that seemingly does not benefit the kingdom because I know that I must be diligent in the work that I do today if I am to have any hope of success in work that is more impactful, more meaningful, and more gratifying in the future. In my mind, there are so many other things that I could be doing that would be more valuable, worthy, or self-satisfying, but those are not the things I have been given to do; at least, not today.
Lord, help me to see the value in honoring You in the little things, so that when faced with opportunities to do work that holds a more heavenly value, I will be in heart, mind and spirit, prepared to dig in.
When my work on earth is ended, and I cross the mystic sea,
Oh, that I could hear him saying, “I am satisfied with thee.”
I am satisfied, I am satisfied I am satisfied with Jesus.
But the question comes to me, as I think of Calvary,
Is my Master satisfied with me?
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