From time to time, I will offer a meditation on specific portions of Scripture. If you believe the Bible to be the Word of God, I pray you will find these to be insightful and more importantly they will provoke you to a healthier relationship with God and with your fellow humans.  If this is not your belief, I hope you will find these reflections still to be insightful and a source of encouragement.  In any event, they are offered in the spirit of helping you to a place of personal health in all aspects of your life.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – I Corinthians 10:13

Every action is to be done with the glory of God as its purpose. Our intentional purpose.

Eating, drinking, abstaining, fasting, feasting. Working, playing, resting. Talking, listening, hearing, tasting, touching. Even thinking.

All to the glory of God. Nothing done without the His glory being considered.

This is where abiding in the vine becomes practical. Literally living in constant connection to the source of our physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual health; the Lord Jesus Christ. Our lives have purpose in this place. (See John 15:4)

This is where giving thanks always and for everything ceases being this seemingly unattainable idea. It becomes not only possible, but real and life-giving. (See I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

This is where resting at the soul level in the yoke with Christ becomes personal. Each step of every day made lighter because you are not working alone. (See Matthew 11:28-30)

Everything that I do, whatever it is, I am to do in relationship with God. When I do this, it assures that what I do is for His glory. When I fail, when I drift from relationship with Him (and I do), I begin to act in ways that do not have His glory as a motive. I become selfish, seeking satisfaction for myself, self-glorifying in my attitude and behavior. The irony is that when I return to doing whatever I do to the glory of God, I figure out that I wasn’t satisfied when I drifted. My prayer upon every one of these instances is to sigh and admit to God that THIS is really where I want to live.

The beauty of the truth behind this verse is that the intention is not to keep us from enjoying ourselves. I can do all for the glory of God without becoming a monk with a vow of solitude and silence (unless that is what I’m called to. . . and I’m not). I get to pursue my dreams because they are aligned with God’s dreams for me.

One of my activities since retiring from my vocational career involves frequent road trips around the country to watch live sporting events. It is enjoyable, perhaps even frivolous if I’m honest. Okay, they’re frivolous. I have built the schedule around these trips, though, to ensure that I maintain my healthy rhythms and thereby stay connected to God just as if I was at home. And, after a conversation with a friend a few years ago, I incorporate prayer for the cities that I visit.

All to the glory of God!