WORKS IF YOU WORK IT?

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I went to my first AA meeting in a long time the other night. It is funny when I go these days. Those that know me immediately start to wonder if I fell off the wagon and was back for a 24 hour token. And while that is NEVER out of the realm of possibility, I actually went to support my good friend C.B. He was receiving a 10 year token. In the AA world a 10 year token is a BIG DEAL.

But as I sat in the back and just observed the meeting, a meeting by the way that had several 24 hour token recipients, I remembered just how challenging this journey of recovery really is and I was most grateful for my 5 years and the decade for my brother. And as with every meeting, a volunteer is called upon to read “HOW IT WORKS”.

For those who have never been to a meeting, “HOW IT WORKS” is a reading of encouragement to the fellowship that validates the effectiveness of the path of AA. It then dovetails into the 12 steps of AA. It is the BIG BOOK authors charge to the ALCOHOLIC that AA “works” if you “work” it!

But that got me to thinking a little. Sometimes we get caught up with the “work it” attitude where it doesn’t belong.

I believe many of us try to “work it” when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. If I “work” at the mission kitchen GOD will see and I will get another gold star. If I “work” in the nursery, Jesus will see I love kids as much as He does and that will get His attention. If I volunteer a lot, that will keep my salvation intact.

To be honest, many of us fall into the trap that believes our relationship with God is about OUR performance rather than HIS grace. We slip into believing GOD’s grace only “works if we work it”. We feel that if we've performed "well" then God will notice us more. If we haven't done so well, our expectations are reduced accordingly and we are duped to thinking our grace is in jeopardy.

As a result we live by works and sweat rather than by freedom and grace. In other words, we forget we are saved by grace and try to live by performance. We get roped into believing that GOD’S grace “doesn’t work” unless we “work it”. That ever happen to you?

That is why I have to check my motivation daily.

Am I doing this work for GOD to accept me? Or because I am accepted I do this work?

There is a big difference!

When we live and work for God we do so because we are already accepted and have been equipped to do HIS WORK!

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Not the other way around!

Jesus has saved me (and you too if you have accepted Him) and because of that I WANT to work my recovery. Because of that I want to honor Him with my time and energy. Because of that I want to do “WORK IT”. (Whatever it is!)

Truth is we could never do enough “working” to earn the favor and grace of GOD. Only CHRIST was capable of that miraculous feat. Instead, GOD will continue to WORK and BLESS our lives as we WORK in gratitude for HIS grace!

Matthew 5:6

Great blessings belong to those who want to do right more than anything else. God will fully satisfy them.

So let's get to "work"!

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney