ROGER!

‘Roger the Waterdog’ photo by Glen Wooldridge!

Roger is a water dog! He takes great joy doing what he was made to do, jump in the water and fetch an object (usually game). (See photo above). He has webbed feet and a water resistant coat. I watched him run and jump off the dock at full speed at least 50 times chasing after a ball thrown in the water. It made me think of the joy we feel when we do what we were made to do!

Do you remember the movie, ‘Chariots of Fire’? Eric Liddell’s sister questions his desire to run in the 1924 Summer Olympic Games rather than concentrating on his calling to be a missionary to China. His response to her was to say, “Jennie, Jennie you’ve got to understand. I’ve got a lot of running to do first. I believe God made me for a purpose, for China, but He also made me fast! And when I run, I feel His pleasure. To give it up would be to hold Him in contempt. You were right, it is not just fun, to win is to honor him.”

Do you realize God made all of us for a purpose?
Psalm 139:12-17 makes it clear that He knew us before we were even born! It says, ‘Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’

Ephesians 2:10 says, ‘We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’ So there is a prerequisite! If you want to do what God ordained you to do (from the womb), you have to be ‘created in Christ Jesus’!
‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!’
2 Corinthians 5:17. By accepting, Jesus, you become the ‘new creation’, ‘created in Christ’.
It is then that you can do the ‘good works God prepared for you to do and that will bring you great joy!!!

Hugh Ross, in his book, ‘Why The Universe Is The Way It Is’ (a must read) states, “Personal observation over the last few decades tells me that the greatest earthly fulfillment that humans experience is pleasing and serving God. The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a foundational summary of Reformed Christian doctrine drafted way back in 1646 and 1647 by the Westminster Assembly reads, “What is the chief end of man? Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” God graciously linked the pursuit of our chief purpose with our greatest experience of joy!’ How do we glorify God? By doing what he called us to do!

King David is called ‘a man after God’s own Heart!’ as recorded in Acts 13:22, ‘After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
He said to God, ‘You have put more joy in my heart than they have (those in the world) when their grain and wine abound!’ God PUT more joy in his heart because ‘he did everything God wanted him to do!’

He will do the same for you.
I was called to teach art at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa! Teaching brought me much joy. I would have done it for nothing! (Thank God I didn’t have to.)

Even Jesus who suffered greatly on the cross ultimately had great joy doing what God called Him to do! (even to His suffering on the cross!). Hebrews 12:2. ‘For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

FIND THAT JOY! DO THE WILL OF GOD!