Introduction

Last week we looked at how God created us in his image, to get satisfaction from him in our work and purpose from him in our lives. This satisfaction and purpose are gifts from God, rather than things we can find by chasing them without God, and so by living and working for God, we enjoy the life God wants us to have. But that’s not all – living and working for God should also transform our relationships.

Showing people that we live and work for God, and for them and us to see what happens in practice, enables the people we know to start to see the reality of God. This stops God being just an idea or belief – from a choice of many beliefs. Living and working for God lets people see our faith in action, having a real effect, making a difference – something many people will be drawn to and want in their own lives. According to Paul, our working lives play a part in making the church’s teaching about Jesus “attractive”. It’s not that we have to “sell” God – living and working for God, for real, is enough.

This week we’re going to explore what is practically involved with living and working for God. These daily studies are about living for God and the foundation this gives us.

Day 1 – We belong to God, and we are commanded to put him first

“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.”

John 3:3 (TNIV)

“For we do not live to ourselves alone and we do not die to ourselves alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:7-8 (TNIV)

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (TNIV)

If we were to ask our work colleagues what they thought being a Christian was about, the chances are they would see it differently from the way following Jesus is described in the Bible. To most people, Christianity is a belief which is one choice among many possible options. It’s something they have probably had some experience with, either being brought up to go to church, taught about at school, or sampled at a church event such as a wedding, funeral, christening or even a Christmas service. There has been a prevailing belief for years that the UK has been a “Christian country”, and that growing up around churches and having a belief in God makes people Christians. In the 2001 census, 72% of the UK population identified themselves as Christian.

At the same time, there is also a scepticism about people who take God a bit too seriously. “Born again” Christians are seen as the dangerous, radical Christians who are very into church, perhaps a bit nutty, maybe even a bit dangerous – after all, we know how arguments about religion cause so many wars, right? We’ve probably all had an experience of an embarrassing moment when God has been mentioned in conversation, and a disagreement has led to an argument or ill feeling. So in the Great British tradition of not wanting embarrassment or confrontation, it can be seen as best not to discuss God in public. As a result, the chances are, we know lots of people who ticked “Christian” on the census box, but feel they’re doing the world a favour by not getting too into the idea. Best to keep a respectable distance from God, and quietly piece together a personal belief from the available choices. And isn’t it good that we have more choice now? More TV channels, more food in Tesco’s, more of everything!

Biblical Christianity is not like this, but sometimes we live as if it is. Whenever we put ourselves and our own interests ahead of God, we act as our own bosses and treat God as an outsider in our lives. This is where we need to start if we’re going to live and work for God – ask ourselves if we are really living the “born again” life, and remember what this means in practice –

• Being born again was necessary for us even to see God’s kingdom, let alone be part of it (so it’s no wonder that people who aren’t born again get the idea of Christianity completely wrong)
• Since we were born again, our old selves died and we now belong to the Lord
• This enabled us to receive the Holy Spirit, and it also has a consequence that we are no longer in charge – God is, and we must honour God with our bodies – everything we do and say

To consider and pray throughout today

• Am I born again? If so, am I living to belong to God and honour him with what I do?
• How does my life show a difference between this lifestyle and simply believing in God?