zeal

"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." Romans 12:11

So you might be wondering where in the world I've been. No? Never crossed your mind? Figures. But isn't it strange that this is the verse that pops up on the day I decide I'm going to give this a go once more. Not that I think this is much of a service for the Lord, because really, it's just for me. But, on the other hand, I figure that everything I do I do in the service of the Lord, whether it be slopping random, albeit scripture-inspired thoughts here or doing my very best work for my clients or being a good husband/son/father/friend or smiling at the homeless guy who pulls his wagon load of miscellaneous stuff back and forth down the boulevard every day from who-knows-where to somewhere else.

I occasionally feel guilty. Guilty because I think I'm not doing enough for the Lord - being slothful in zeal, because I'm not teaching a Sunday School class or going on mission trips or even singing in the choir. But even though there's nothing wrong with any of those things, and it certainly wouldn't hurt me to get involved in something like that, I think what God really wants is for me to "be fervent in spirit" in whatever it is I'm doing, and thus to serve him daily, constantly, continually.

I'm going to think about that today while I'm trying to get caught up with work before our mini-vacation this weekend. I want to serve the Lord fervently today while I work, "working as to the Lord, and not to men," so to speak. And then, this weekend, I plan on serving the Lord fervently by being a good husband - the best husband I can possibly be - while we're away.

The blessings for me from all this will be that I'll get a lot of work done and I'll have a good time with my wife this weekend! Yea, God!

Lord, I give this day to you with fervent zeal. I plan on giving tomorrow to you, as well as this weekend and every day after that. But for now I'm taking it one day at a time and fervently counting on you for the rest...and for the zeal.

Oh, and thank you, Lord, for reminding me about this blog today. It's good to be here again.