A preacher in the Midwest tells of a man that phoned him and spoke of his intense dissatisfaction with a program of the church. He invited him to come to his office and talk the program over with him. He accepted the invitation and brought to his attention some of the things that were needed and what needed to be done. He listened, and then gratefully acknowledged his points and the wisdom of his ideas. He then said, “This is wonderful that you are so concerned and interested in these things. You are the very person that we need to head this program up. Will you take the job?” The dissatisfied brother responded, “Oh, no, I don’t want to get too involved. With my job, my club work, my recreation and the hours I put in on other things, I don’t have the time. But I will be glad to advise you at any time.”

The preacher’s response was just as immediate and classic. “Sir, that’s the problem now. I already have 400 advisers. I need someone who will work.”

We have become much like the children of Israel as reported in Deuteronomy 6:10-12. Listen to God’s words, "So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant — when you have eaten and are full — then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” (NKJV). We are looking for the wells that have already been dug, for the houses that have already been built, for the vineyards and olive trees that have been planted, dug and fertilized. In the Lord’s church we want to attend churches that are growing and prosperous, and fail to realize that for that to happen, someone has to put in the work and effort to make that happen.

Somebody has to dig the well, build the houses, and plant the vineyards.

We want a church with great Sunday school classes, but we have problems sometimes getting someone to teach the classes.

We want to be a part of something great – but we sometimes have a problem getting involved enough to make it great. We fail to realize that if we do our part, God will do His. He has promised that!

What we call involvement is nothing more than approval. We like what good is happening, but let somebody else make it happen.

Aren’t you glad that God cared enough about our problem that He got involved with us, and sent His Son to pay the price we could never pay? Aren’t you glad that Jesus saw the mess we are in, and got involved in this sinful world to save us?

At this time of year, let’s stop and think about how God and Jesus got involved with us, and let us plan, this next year (if God grants this to us) to get involved with Him and His work in the church. Every Christian needs to get involved in working for the Lord. Will you be one in 2007?