For Heaven's Sake

I haven't heard it in a while but when I was a boy, I used to hear it with some frequency: "Well, for heaven's sake!"  It was an expression of surprise and a bit of incredulity.  Today one might say, "No way!"

For the apostle Paul, it was much more than an expression, it was lens in which he looked at everything to judge it worthwhile or not, acceptable or not, bearable or not.  Whatever was happening, whatever he went through or whatever he might have to face had but one qualifier as to whether it would be worthwhile or not: Was it for heaven's sake, did it advance the Kingdom of God.

An example of his thinking is found in Philippians 1:12-13, "Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ."

The fact that Paul was imprisoned, the possibility that he might die in chains did not concern Paul.  Rather than fearfully facing the awful possibilities of what might happen to him at the hands of the Romans, he was excitingly reporting the awesome news that, through his captivity, the whole palace guard was being impacted with the message of Christ.  Paul was in chains but the Gospel was freely circulating in the palace of his captors.

Imagine the difference it would make in our lives if we were to view everything through the lens of kingdom impact instead of personal.  How would our lives change if we were to rejoice whenever the kingdom was being advanced in or lives instead of complaining when we are put out or put upon.  How much easier would it be then to "rejoice always" (Phil 4:4)?

What if, instead of asking "Why is this happening to me?", we began to ask, "What will God do for the kingdom through me in this circumstance?"  What if we stopped being "navel gazers" and became "kingdom watchers?"  Jus' Askn.