ADVENT-HAPPY

 

My dear friend, Ronnie, posted the above verse recently on Facebook. 

When I read it, my first thought was, "Yes, me, too!" 

I want to be found faithfully serving when my Lord returns (because, He will...and, maybe soon).

That's what makes this an extremely relatable Advent passage... 

...and, while Advent season (as mentioned last week) is one of waiting;

Our waiting was never meant to be PASSIVE. 

It's not for us to just sit and twiddle our thumbs. 

Our in-between the then and not yet, right here in the NOW, should be ACTIVE (verb-like). 

While our attitude is one of anticipation and adventure, our posture is one of service and "doing our God-given-joy-job."

We're to be all about the Kingdom-work while we wait.

So, as a self-proclaimed servant (Greek: doulos) and dedicated slave, WILL I? 

Will I be sitting in the sacred in-between, or will I be about the Father's business: 

    learning

    worshipping

    growing in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man? (Luke 2:52)

Will I be on the lookout for Kingdom business that I can attend to on His behalf? (Mark 16:15)

Will I

    care for the poor

    minister to the sick

    visit those in prison (whether literal or metaphoric)

    help provide water for the thirsty & food for the hungry? (Matthew 25:31-46)

Will I do justice, love kindness/mercy/steadfast love, and walk humbly with my God? (Micah 6:8)

Will I be a Good Samaritan to the marginalized, the left out, and the out cast? Will I step into their hurt and pain to walk alongside? (Luke 10:25-37)

Will I wear the mantle of those who've gone before, encouraging:

    steadfastness

    hopefulness

    truthfulness

    faithfulness? (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Will I live a life of love? (Ephesians 5:2)

Will I:

    abide in hope

    show genuine hospitality

    seek and pursue peace, as much as it depends on me? (Romans 12:9-12)

    

 Will I sacrificially place myself on an altar as an act of worship to my God? (Romans 12:1)

Will I regularly renew my mind, so that I not conform to the pattern of this world, but live in such a way that others see some semblance of the world I call home? (Romans 12:2)

Will I proudly live as an exile while my feet are temporarily on this planet? (1 Peter 2:11)

Will my life be one of integrity, 

    the same day-in-day-out

    no matter who is watching? (Proverbs 10:9)

Will I make the main thing the main thing?

    Will the gospel of Jesus Christ always be on my lips in the doing of all these things above? 

    (2 Timothy 4:2)

    Will I proclaim it boldly?

    Will it be the center of all I do?

    Will I be at the ready to share the story of the hope that is within me? (1 Peter 3:15)

Advent is near.

Will I be a servant found "so doing" when He appears?

HAPPY IS THE SERVANT WHOM THE MASTER FINDS DOING HIS JOY-JOB WHEN HE RETURNS!