Godly Dominion

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." Colossians 3:23

A few weekends ago, by God's appointment, I ran into a dear friend, Rebecca, while in Cincinatti. I was able to have lunch with her and her husband. We've known eachother since our college days where we spent many hours together in prayer, deep conversation and dreaming about our days on the mission field. We were both on track for a committed life of medical missions. She became a physician's assistant. I became a nurse.

Where are we today? We are both homeschooling moms living in Midwest suburia. Many of our classmates have gone on to the uttermost ends of the earth. They are planting churches, translating the Bible or fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Rebecca and her husband (a surgeon) are in the process of praying and heading out with their four girls in the coming years.

When Sean and I were newly married we were going down a path that led us straight overseas into missions. I had just graduated with my RN and Sean had just recieved his teaching license. With wise counsel, we decided to stay here and get some much needed experience in our fields.

And here we are today. To some that might seem like we've failed. Failed to keep our promise to ourselves and to God. I'd be lying if I said that there are times that I haven't had those exact thoughts.

But I've been learning through the years that God has called us all individually to the work HE has prepared in advance for us to do. That work should be a reflection of who He is. No work is more superior than another and always gives way to give God glory. That work should be done excellently. Christians really should be the best at their professions and it's in those arenas that the Gospel is proclaimed.

Sean lives this out in front of me everyday. When no one is looking, he is constantly giving each task and project his best efforts. This past weekend he was honored at Rose Hulman, one of the top engineering school in the country, and given an award for Outstanding High School Teacher. He had been nominated by a former student. At the banquet he was asked to give a 5 minute presentation before the faculty of the University as well as the Alumi being honored.

In typical Sean fashion, the first words out of his mouth were, "Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them." (Psalm 111:2) He went on to talk about his methods of teaching as well as the need to enlighten in his students a passion to know more of God through math and science.

I was thinking to myself, "Here is Sean standing before some of the brightest minds in the country giving glory to God." Only God could provide that opportunity. It's all could do not to cry.

Later the Distinguished Alumni gave their speeches to the students. These men have done amazing things that frankly I can't understand. They were speaking a completely different language as far as I was concerned. One was a famous pediatric surgeon, the other a statistician/economist for a major insurance company and the other was an entreprenuer who invented some kind of amazing laser. The doctor just came out and laid it on the line, "I've seen the inside of the human body and I know there is a God." Another thanked the Lord for his gifts and the ability to apply them.

That, my friends, is taking Godly dominion. (Psalm 8:6)


So naturally I have to ask myself, "How am I taking dominion over the areas of work/influence in my life here in my little community? Here. Today. Now."