My Work

Last week one afternoon during my kids’ naptime I listened to half of a sermon by Pastor Colin Smith about the thief on the cross (what can I say? I was tired, so half was all I could manage). It was based on Luke 23 and titled Breakfast with the Devil, Supper with the Savior. As the thief hung next to Jesus on the cross he simply said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” and Jesus immediately responded, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Pastor Colin pointed out that the thief didn’t do a single good deed to earn God’s approval.

Then Pastor Colin quoted Charles Spurgeon, who imagined what it might have been like for everyone in heaven when Jesus finished His work on the cross. There they all were—the martyrs, the angels, and every believer from all of history—just waiting for Jesus to enter. And when He appeared, they all leaned to forward to see who He’d brought with Him. Was it a disciple? A saint? Or at the very least, a good person? No. Jesus arrived with a notorious thief, a sinner who’d been saved in the final moments of his life, a man who had absolutely nothing to offer God.

When Adam came home later we talked about the sermon and how the thief had no Christian experience beyond his conversion when he entered heaven. “It actually sounds kind of nice,” Adam said. “What, to die immediately after you put your faith in Jesus?” I said, laughing a little. “Well, yeah,” Adam said thoughtfully. And then we started talking about everything the thief skipped. He experienced the reality of God’s grace and he never came down from that high. He never went to church out of obligation and then felt guilty for being bored. He didn’t get saved and then later feel convicted for gossiping or drinking too much or zoning out on the Internet instead of reading his Bible. He didn’t receive God’s love and then years later have to face his own hypocrisy or selfishness or greed.

Today I finished the sermon, and at the end Pastor Colin talked about the thief’s conversion-and-death experience. He asked his congregation why God doesn’t take believers to heaven right away. He said most people would say something like, “God is still preparing me for heaven.” But when we look at Luke 23, we see that isn’t true. The moment the thief believed in Jesus, he was ready. “You are no more ready for heaven now than you were the day of your conversion,” Pastor Colin pointed out. So why do we continue living on earth when our hearts are ready to be with Jesus? “Because God has work for you to do here,” Pastor Colin said.

So now I’m been thinking about work. What exactly is the work God wants me to do? I guess I’m still figuring it out. I know it involves gratitude and faith. But it seems like the specifics will probably change from year to year and maybe even day to day. For now though, I’m guessing my work mainly involves these little guys, and baby #3, who’s kicking me as I type. But they won’t always be my full-time work, a thought that reminds me to appreciate the ordinary days we have together now.