Years ago I received an antique wall clock from my dad. Newer clocks are ones that either run on electricity or batteries. This one has to be touched by the “master”. When my dad comes out to Colorado for a visit, he does his magic. He tilts it a little to the left, twists little metal screws and winds it just so. It begins to keep wonderful time and fills our home with chimes.

Then he leaves for home; but not without a list of instructions. “Keep the clock wound, make sure it doesn’t center on the wall and if it gets off time twist the little metal screws.” If I don’t do these things it falls behind in time and I hear the 3:00 chime at 4:00. I call in frustration and he calmly goes through the list of instructions one by one until we figure out the problem.

Our life with Christ is similar. The Master Jesus Christ came down from heaven and lived a life which instructed us, by example, of how to live for the Father. He paid the price of the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross so we can live with the Father in heaven one day. Then he left.

We need to follow the directions He left us. Some of those directions are to pray to the Father (and gave us an example in Matthew 6:9-13), to live in the Spirit which will result in His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), He left us the “Great Commission” where He says “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”, and to love our neighbor as He loved us (John 15:12-15).

If we do these things, our actions will be just as the chime coming from the clock. Others will be able see and hear God’s work in us. But, it takes diligence and self-control on a daily basis. Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”