New Orleans, LA 2004: A visit to the Bayou? For you! A stroll down infamous Bourbon Street? For you! A new hairdo? For you! Places and things are not to be worshipped, but rather, to be used and employed in a vibrant life approved in Heaven.
Excerpts from Trent’s historical letters candidly and anonymously offer flavors and insights from real-time and real-life origins. Hop aboard these instructions and confessions in mid-stream, below, and see if they help you, too. This letter attempts to keep people from worshipping or overvaluing things designed merely to be helpful.
From Trent Ling:
I will update you somewhat on the goings on around here on Saturday night. Of course, the updates will not be exhaustive or that would take another several hours.
I taught for about another hour when we returned from the park and after eating. I shared Mark 2:27 where Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” I shared conviction that this ministry exists for us; that a budget exists for us; that a schedule exists for us, etc. If it doesn’t serve us, then something is greatly wrong. I point things out to people for them. I have no interest beyond that.
Perhaps the clearest expression I can give you is that I shared with everyone that because I have a schedule and a budget inscribed by the Lord’s finger from heaven, I can truly live Colossians 3:23 all the hours and days of my life: “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” For example, when I am on a date with Siauw, I have absolutely nothing else to do other than be on a date with Siauw. When I am praying with the brothers, I have nothing else to do other than to pray with the brothers. When I go to Indonesia for 30 days, I will have nothing else to do other than be in Indonesia. I am able to give things all of my heart because I have sat down and estimated what it takes to complete what I am doing (Luke 14:28-30), and with the estimate in hand, I know everything will get done so that I can do “whatever” I am doing with all my heart while doing it.
It sadly seems to me that everyone else is often distracted, divided and sidetracked with other worries, concerns or projects to get done. My schedule was made for me and if it doesn’t work, I will change it to make it work, as we have already seen 30 amendments to my schedule. The same goes for my budget, firm, marriage, family, house, time, and even ministry. I belong to God and he would have no less from me in getting his/our deal done.
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Really 30 amended schedules? Those numbers seem like chump-change compared to now. This approach to life just makes everything much more enjoyable. I have at times left things incomplete and then gone out with my people with a heavy heart and distracted mind. Thats not way to live life, it just sucks all the joy out of the moment.
I remember the time I had the worst balance book in the history of mankind (you said this, and I took it to heart) and you taught me how to make a budget. I remember sit down in your living room in ’04 listening to the teaching about having a schedule written by the Lord’s finger (which sounds attractive to me as opposed to me yielding to my own schedule or no schedule at all for I am a procrastinator in heart). Thank you! You simply just live it and share it with others. It doesn’t take a fancy schedule I know, but one that comes from heart for God.
Amen for Colossians 3:23 – ”Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” With the scriptures you gave us in mind, I make a schedule that works for me. This is the best ever teaching that everyone should get. Without a schedule that I make (as a stay home mom) with God’s in mind, I’ll be doing things as I see fit and spending too much time being destructed. One example, I used to pick up every call that rings but I couldn’t cary on a good uninterrupted conversation when my kids needed my attentions. I had to let people know my schedule; when is the best time to call and I also have a set time to return calls and make calls… but I am not shackled by this schedule that I become like a robot! This schedule is for me, not me for the schedule, Mark 2:27. Thanks Trent 🙂
Awesome teaching, Trent! Because Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4), our time is His. Our time and schedule should be geared to glorify God in every area of our lives and making Colossians 3:23 a reality. I also love what you shared on our last Brother’s (Chad) night. When determining how our time and resources should be employed we should ask ourselves… Who will this deliver? Who will be ministered by this? What I am I building with this? What am I enhancing with this? Once that purpose is determined, we can honor God by “working at it with all of our heart”.