Love Has a Name

Today is my Sunday in Cambodia. Sitting at a cheeky 38 degrees Celsius as I stare out through my windows at sunshine, my neighbourhood abuzz with people selling, manufacturing steel and countless cars coasting by.

I begin my day with a simple cleaning of the bathroom. A spritz of earth friendly cleaning spray clings to the walls, the floor and around the toilet. A sharp but refreshing scent of citrus hanging in the air. My nose and mouth covered by a black surgical mask with beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, over my nose and off my chin. At first glance, it appears as if I have watered the floor in preparation for mopping, yet, it is nothing but the sweat pouring from my face onto the floor.

While I scrubbed, scraped and rinsed I begin to feel grateful. Hands and knees on the damp floor, lemon tingling my nose hairs and bubbles tickling my skin I couldn’t help but begin to praise the Lord. Smiling from ear to ear I began to give thanks for all that I have and for the responsibility to care for it.

Moving from the bathroom I sweep, prune my outdoor sized plants, water them and clean the kitchen. All the while worshiping my Saviour, and Creator of the world, and the abundance of gifts He has poured out into my life in the past days, weeks, months and certainly years.

The sun piercing my windows incessantly I could not believe where I am now and where I have come from. In an instant I was reminded of how I have been saved from my own selfish desires and given a new heart, a new mission and a new spirit. A spirit of love, self-control and eternal life to be spent in the presence of Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:17 jumps into my head, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Now meditating on this Scripture I see what is being asked of us. As we come into a relationship with Jesus and the will of the Father we give thanks and praise in everything we do. This is not restricted to our work, our family, our community…no…in fact it applies to everything from buying milk, traveling the world and yes, scrubbing the toilet.

I hope this is an encouragement, and hopefully some clarity for someone, that thanksgiving and worship do not only happen on a Sunday, alone in our bedrooms, in a Church, in a small group or during the workday. No, instead when we come into a relationship with Jesus we realize how precious and brief our life on earth is, and, in return, we begin to simply give thanks and praise for each and every breath we breathe, step we take and each bathroom we clean.

Simply put, in a day and age where the world encourages us to achieve and earn and gather “things”, I say do it for God, serve Him alone and give thanks for it all, for if tomorrow it all falls away, I ask, where will you rest and for what will you give thanks when you have nothing, have no one.

On whom will you rely when everything turns to dust and you are laying 6 feet under.

Finally, when we give thanks constantly and do everything for Him we move away from inward focused, selfish thinking and living which only earns us a place in the ground.

As ceaselessly as the sun shines we praise and give thanks for each “thing” we have gathered so as to then be freely given a place in the Kingdom forever where we can sit, admire and love our Father, our Maker, our God.

I have less in my life now than I have ever had in my life and I feel as if I have substantially more! This feeling although I experience it, exists simply because I have turned my face from myself to the one to gave me life and gives me breath each and every day.