The business of the church is GOD. She is purest when most engaged with God, and she is astray just so far as she follows other interests, no matter how religious or humanitarian those interests may be.
There are a thousand useful and even noble pursuits in which the church may engage and which may bring her the plaudits of the world, but which are nevertheless unworthy of her utter devotion. Such are social activities or philosophical pursuits divorced from Him in whom all wisdom and knowledge is hidden away. As various things come to the Christian in his pursuit of God, they may have a proper and useful place in his life; but when they are chosen as ends to be followed, they are only cheap substitutes for the glory that excels all--God Himself.
For choosing God as our one all-absorbing interest, we Christians are sometimes scorned as being narrow-minded. But must we apologize that we have chosen Christ as our one object of interest? That we deliberately choose to walk with those who walk with God? That we have chosen eternity over the temporal and heaven over earth?
In so choosing, who have we injured? Whose son or daughter is worse for knowing us and our example? Who is a worse father, mother, or citizen for following Christ? No man, home, or nation is the worse for the presence of a real Christian. As Gerhard Tersteegen puts it:
"All things made my own,
Fearing God alone;
Walking with the Lord of glory
Through the courts divine,
Christ forever mine;
Say, poor worldling, can it be
That my heart should envy thee?"
Yes, beloved saint, our business is, and always shall be, God Himself.
Thoughts on the Way Home
