This past weekend, I was excited to be able to take a couple students to check Liberty University out (which is where Christi and I went to school). It was a blast and we all had a really good time.
If you’ve finished college, left the city, and come back to visit, you’ve felt the feeling of overwhelming nostalgia that I felt.
I was describing it to a friend: “Everything is so different!”
He asked me to specify, but it was hard to describe everything. After thinking about it some more, I realized that my thoughts were centered around this one idea:
If I went to school here today, I would have a completely different experience, by virtue of the fact that this school is continually expanding into an even greater atmosphere.
And then, this next thought hit me like a ton of bricks:
This must be what it’s like to have a strong vision for something and not live long enough to see it grow beyond your wildest dreams.
All throughout Scripture, we see examples of people who were called by God to do amazing things. Every one of those people were playing their small part in God’s meta narrative.
1. Abraham was called to go to the place that God would show Him.
2. Joseph was called to a life of obedience among negative circumstances, resulting in major influence.
3. Moses was called to lead the nation of Israel out of slavery and into the promised land.
4. Joshua was called to build on Moses’ work.
5. David was called to be a king.
6. Nehemiah was called to build a wall.
7. John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.
8. Peter was called to help move God’s people to a new way.
9. Paul was called to spread the Gospel throughout the nations and to plant churches.
All of these people played big parts in God’s story. In their day, they were recognized for their many feats and displays of faith.
But for them (and for us), our “small” part in God’s big story is 100% of our entire life!
The connection point is this: Jerry Falwell never got to see the fullness of God’s vision for His life come to pass (because it is still coming to pass as each day passes!).
This should give us so much encouragement, in that our work is not done in vain! God will bring His work to pass. We are merely agents of His grace; wires through which His power flows.
We may not get to see the full outcome of our work here on earth, but that isn’t the purpose! Our purpose is to humbly serve Jesus.
Take comfort that your work is not in vain, if it is done in Jesus’ Name.