Do

"...apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 I find myself thinking a lot about this concept these days. Today we had a guest speaker at church who was speaking about the rhythm our lives have and how we either create the rhythm or one gets created. I found myself thinking about the tiny little excerpt above and in particular the word "do" If the bible says we cannot "do" anything without Him, what are we all doing then? Does it mean that everything we do is because of Him? Does it mean that nothing we do is because of Him because of our selfish nature? I find I am always "doing" things that could in no way be because of Him. Where do the things I do end I His things begin? Last week I was struck by the idea of how we respond. I think many people resolve to do something and then want God to respond. It occurred to me last week that our only hope is to respond to what God has (already) resolved to do. He resolved to create me. He resolved to send Jesus to pay the price for my unrighteousness that I could never pay. He resolves to let me wake up each day and live a life that will be used to bring Him glory. When looked at from that perspective how could I ever resolve to do anything and wait for Him to respond. In light of my thoughts from last week I am now contemplating the idea of "do". In my work each day I purpose to help people and businesses do more who need a mortgage or loan. I have defined "do more" as the ability to save more, invest more or give more. Save for the future, invest in new opportunities or give back to the community. It's interesting that the idea of do more is already a few years old for me and today I am not considering John 15:5 in light of this. I we can do nothing a part from Him, what is it that most people do everyday then. What is the opposite of do? I think of the word "do" as carrying out or accomplishing so the opposite would then mean abandon or abstain. So if I follow the logic along, John 15:5 is telling me that without Him anything I do will either be abandoned or I will be abstaining from bringing glory to His name - intentionally. Conversely, Him working through me means that my hope each day is to carry out or accomplish His work - interesting. His work involves promoting Him (love). How do I respond to the world around me? How do I respond to my wife? How do I respond to my family and friends? I think the passage tells me that IF I respond His work is done whereas if I refuse to respond then the best result I can hope for is an action that produces nothing and is like something that gets abandoned (a business, a home, etc.) totally void of any life. Responding to His resolve brings life. Do means to love. Love means to be selfless. The results last forever and give life. Therefore: Being selfish means to abstain from doing His work and produces an abandoned or empty result which never really had a point in the first place. Why bother being selfish?