Karen used a quote from Oswald Chambers wherein he mentioned serving God and knowing God in what he coined, 'The Domain of Drudgery'. The phrase stuck a chord with me and I want to explore it a bit with you. K? Here we go...Drudgery, as defined by Webster, is "hard, mundane and dull work." Did I just define your life or your job or your relationships? Honestly, we all spend the bulk of our lives living in the moments that are less than exciting. I am not saying life is not good and we are not happy, but in truth the routine of living is not advertised as Vacationland!
I personally think part of the problem with our culture is our craving for adrenaline. We love the high's the exciting, the supercalafragalistic! (if you know the song...go ahead and sing a little of it.) There is nothing wrong with the highs except...well, we can't live there. I mean for every vacation we take, we work 50 other weeks of the year. For every trophy bass I catch, I catch 350 dinks! (short for dinky) For every luscious meal at Outback, I eat 50 drive-thru burgers. Catch my drift?
Remember when Peter, along with Jesus went to the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus? Jesus let them see a glimpse of the glory that is to come. There they saw Moses and Elijah! Talk about adrenaline baby!! Peter was so ecstatic he commented..."Lets build three tabernacles!" Interpreted he said, "Lord, I'm loving this! Can't we just stay here a while?"
But alas, we gather up our stories, our lessons learned, our new outlook and head down with our head down, prepared to get back to the domain of the mundane. What I want to explore with you is...how can we make the most of this area of life wherein we spend the most of our time? I believe the joy of our relationship with the Lord is not merely reserved for the moments our chill bump machine is in high gear. We need to learn, grow, relate, and find fulfillment in the times when life is nothing but routine, difficult, boring, wearisome, w...o...r...k. Let me here what you think? How do you deal with the Domain?
Pastor T
8 comments:
Since the USA works more hours than any other industrialized country... I think changes should be made! Vote for me as your next President :)
Realizing you are put on this earth to do a work for God really helps me through the day. When you see the fruits of your labor it puts all the bad times out of mind. I would have to say that life is too short to not be doing something you love. Find what it is you absolutely love and do it!
Brad for Prez?? Are you a Publican or a Sadducee?
I definitely agree with Brad. We have to have something to keep our eyes on, or we just get pulled down with the rest of those who've lost sight of why they are here.
I think I can sympathize with Brad though on this. I'd love to somehow 'camp out' on the high that I always feel after a great service, or camp, but somehow it's always seemed to be left behind, or maybe even leave us behind.
Chris...I too would like to camp on the 'high'. While we should enjoy what we do, most of the headway we make either on the job or Spiritually speaking, we make through difficulty. If it is always easy, I am wondering if we are making any difference at all. Every salmon that reproduces itself has to first swim upstream. At the same time there should be joy and reward when we do achieve. See ya on the mountain top!
TE
you know pastor Tim to deal with my domain has been a personal challenge as im so far from the church and people that i love so much. But at the same time i know God has a plan for me of which i do not know what it is. I am not on a "high" here. i live literally on the faith that God loves me and is with me. For all the people who feel so alone let me be the first to tell you that i know excatly what you are going thru. it is where my domain is. I go to work everyday talking to God begging him to bring me back home again. and i hear a song on the radio that reminds me that he is here or i get a phone call from someone in my church or call my pastors wife and cry on her shoulders for a minute. or i listen to the podcast of my homechurch and i am able to deal with the domain. I love NLT!!!!
Novella, I know you are going through some tough times. Let me remind you that tough times do not last but tough people do! You can make it. The key is to learn all you can while you are going through the process! Difficulties don't necessarily make character but they certainly reveal it! During the drudgery you find out what you are made of! Can't wait to see you and your family.
Blessings,
Pastor T
As I see it, drudgery is just a simple 'fact of life'.
I like what Oswald Chambers says, "Drudgery is the touchstone of character." I find that to be an encouraging, hopeful word especially when I consider my own human condition left alone to itself.
Christian or not, we prefer doing the BIG things in life--not the small, seemingly insignificant things that'll go unnoticed. Makes me wonder what Jesus felt when He picked up the towel and washed His disciples feet?
Well, with that picture in mind, I can see why our willingness to embrace some of the mundane tasks in life bears potential to produce a genuine work of humility within. Because surely we are not above our Master.
A little about myself--I went through 4 years of missionary training. I came out of that experience having much zeal-- disciplined in prayer, having a heart for the lost, having what I'd consider a good grasp of God's Word. With all my ducks in a row, I thought for sure I was ready to do a beneficial work for Jesus.
Well, I guess I thought wrong 'cuz right about then Jesus spoke...told me that what I truly needed was to learn how to listen, respond (once I'd actually heard Him), and serve Him/others in all those simple, unnoticed ways that hold no glory. Whew.
So off to boot camp I went....flesh kicking and screaming along the way.:-)
Tim, you asked what my normal reaction to disappointments, failures, setbacks, etc might be.
Well, for me I mostly work. I go outside and I pick up rocks. I throw the rocks into a 5-gallon bucket, haul them off by hand, and build a wall....LOL! That's right A WALL! (I think maybe this is why my last name is STONE:-).
I do this monotonous deed in times of distress (as well as times of peace) because it helps me to hear....hear 'self' first of all....which upon hearing all that 'self nonsense' has this unique way of bringing me to a broken place....the place where I'm finally DONE....You know, finally soft and pliable enough for Jesus to speak through my stubborn way of seeing.
I try not to turn to vices (been there, done that with drugs and all)...but if I were to name the vice I'm most prone to turn to these days, I'd say it's isolation and sleep....you know, shut out the world, shut out the hurt, shut out whatever it is I'm not wanting to look at squarely (for whatever reason).
This is where having genuine--honest, transparent relationships with others (folks bold enough to speak some of the 'hard to hear' truths) has helped tremendously. As the Proverb says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." Another helpful verse for me personally has been, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
Karen Stone
Karen, ....excellent words. You should be a writer! I appreciate your willingness to let God teach you those powerful lessons. The strength of our Christianity is only known when nobody is looking and the stage lights are off. I appreciate your views...they are right on! I too appreciate friends who can speak the truth in love.
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