All For One and One For All

Do you remember the three "R's" in school:  reading, writing and arithmetic?  (Though, how anyone came up with the title of the three "R's" for those particular subjects, I'll never understand.)  Anyway, you remember those, right?  They were the basis for education.  Conquer those, and you could do anything.  They were imperatives, not electives.  They were essential for a well-rounded education.

In the Christian life, there are three "W's," and just like the three "R's," this trio of elements is an essential part of our spiritual education and growth.  They are work, worship and waiting.  The tricky thing about these three amigos is that, not only do they work hand in hand, but they must be executed simultaneously.  It's not a cycle where you work, then you worship and then you wait, but rather it's a process where you worship while you work while you're waiting for God to reveal the next step.  It's like a three-part harmony, and if one of the parts is even just a little off, the entire melody is ruined.

So many times, we get it into our heads that our only responsibility is to work for the Lord, but that's only part of it.  What about worship?  Well, that's not so hard, or is it?  Worship takes time.  Worship takes a change in perspective.  Worship means turning our attention to the Lord and off of ourselves or our problems.  And as for waiting, well, none of us like that, do we?  We don't like waiting in line.  We despise waiting our turn.  The longer we wait for things, the more frustrated we become about the time we're wasting while waiting.  Waiting on the Lord can be a daunting task indeed.

But the truth is, without the worship and the waiting, the work is being done in vain.  It is not complete.  Yes, God wants us to work for Him, but He doesn't want our service to end there.  He desires (and deserves) our worship.  And He longs for us to trust Him in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to timing.  God is never early, nor is He ever late.  He will meet our needs or show us His direction in His perfect timing, and He wants us to trust Him concerning that promise.

Work.  Worship.  Waiting.  They truly are all for one and one for all.  Don't try to split them up!

(Is anybody else craving a Three Musketeers candy bar right about now?  Just asking!)

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. - Psalm 37:3-7