For the Joy

6 min read

37 The foundation of the temple of the LORD was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details according to its specifications. He had spent seven years building it.
— 1 Kings 6:37-38

Building up the kingdom of God here on earth takes time. God is in no rush. Am I in a rush to build up this church for my sake or for the kingdom of God?

I need to remember that God is in control. It was 487 years before the people of God were made secure in the land of Israel after coming out of Egypt and for the temple of God to be built (1 Kings 6:1).

I must never try to rush the purposes of God in my life for His kingdom. At the same time, I need to remember that my time on earth is limited. And so I ought to make the most of every second that God has given me to walk this earth for His glory.

I think people tend to fall on one side or the other of this truth. That is, people either try to rush ahead of God’s plan, or they don’t live ambitiously enough for His glory. And to be brutally honest with myself, I fall in the latter group. I don’t live ambitiously enough for the glory of God.

On the other hand, I genuinely do not have the capacity to be juggling many different activities and relationships at the same time. I tend to handle life one activity at a time. Using computer science lingo, I am not a multitasker but a single-threader.

If I try to be a multitasker, I find that my energy levels get depleted quickly. And it doesn’t help that, by nature, I am an introvert. My energy levels also get depleted when I am around people for long stretches of time.

As I enter my “senior” years, some people tell me that the very best years of fruitfulness are still ahead of me. And my own experience tells me that this is right. My life may be bearing more fruit now than it ever has before. And so, here is evidence that indicates that this fruitfulness can increase. Of course, this increasing fruitfulness in my life has only come by the grace of God. And I say this with the utmost sense of self-awareness.

Interestingly enough, the potential for increasing fruitfulness in my life is also evident in my golf game. My golf swing has been improving a lot. Of course, golf technology helps some, but I am hitting the ball now farther than I ever have. Much of this improvement has come from a focused effort at improving my swing by watching instructional video clips and practicing at the driving range.

All this to say, by the grace of God and through my diligent effort, I fully expect God to grow my capacity so that I may become more and more fruitful in ministry and in my life in the coming years. And I don’t see the effort that I expend as being a chore.

For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. What little things do I need to endure to increase my capacity and experience the joy set before me?

Father, I thank You for saving me and calling me—for making me Your child and servant. Help me to experience the joy of my salvation so that I may also experience the joy of serving You and Your people always—especially those who may be difficult to love. In Jesus’s name. Amen.