Echoes From the Campfire

[Don Adkisson]

Echoes From the Campfire--June 5

     “They...know who they are, they know what they believe in, and their kind will last. Other kinds of people will come and go. The glib and confident, the whiners and complainers, and the people without loyalty, they will disappear, but the...will still be here plowing the land, planting crops, doing the hard work of the world because it is here to be done. Consider yourself fortunate to know them.”
               --Louis L'Amour (The Mountain Valley War)

     "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
               --Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV)
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     A couple of Sundays ago I heard a sermon: "If Your Vision Small Enough?" The idea of the sermon was that we need to be faithful in the things and duties that the Lord has given us before we can look on to the "grand vision." We live in a time where preachers clamor for us to claim the grand vision, to leap small buildings with a single bound, dare to dream the impossible. The problem is that we should be seeking what God has for us.
     The sermon dealt with the family of Kohath. Their job was to get the vessels of the tabernacle ready to move. They were Levites, but they could not do the sacrifices, the only job was readiness. However, if they didn't do their "small" job the tabernacle could not be moved--the large scale vision could not be attained. Their job was to be the carriers of the ark, not the leadership.
     You need to follow the calling that God has given you--the one that God has given you, not the one that you have chosen for yourself. Paul tells us that there are all kinds of vessels in the house. You might be saying that you want to be a glorious vase that will hold a beautiful floral arrangement. However, God may desire for you to be an old pot. Or He might want you to be an earthen vessel not one of gold.
     The Puritan Work Ethic, which is now considered to be archaic, but is entirely biblical, states that God calls people into various vocations. In whichever one we are working we must work the very best we can--we are to be doing the work for Him. In doing so, we are actually worshiping. Worship is not singing; it may be, but it is in fulfilling what God has for us. We are to love the love with our total being that means with our wills. To love God with your will means to obey. It means to become a "living sacrifice."
     Back to the sermon. Here are four important things that we must do to properly carry on the work of God. (Thanks to Weston Berry)
          1) The smaller vision must take place before the larger vision can take place.
          2) It takes obedience to worship; to follow your calling.
          3) Sometimes we need to step back, do the small things, so the larger things could go forward.
          4) Don't be so focused on the large things that you neglect the small things.
     Tomorrow we will commemorate June 6--D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. It was the invasion that finally started to bring an end to the war in Europe. We should remember those who were killed and wounded on the beach, however, the invasion could not begin to take place without hours and days, and months and even years of preparation, planning, and making sure everything was ready. Was there enough petroleum? Was their enough ammunition? Was there enough food? What everything timed out just right? And on and on and on... If these "smaller things" were not accomplished, were sluffed off as insignificant, then the large scale invasion could not take place.

D.C. Adkisson