Deanna Sutherland found the query significant and explained to me precisely what I wish I said, but could not. I thank her for her concise view and sharing superb communication skills. This is an example of the organizations working, so often the respondents to our query are the founders, directors, and senior executives who took the time to share, and revealing the assiduousness that sets them apart from the rest.
Dear Coleman,
Yes, please accept my apologies for not responding to your request earlier. The info@caremin.com goes to the Hong Kong Development office of ICM and you caught us during a particularly busy time. Not only are we understaffed with many of our volunteers on holiday, but it is during the summer that we prepare for our largest fundraising event of the year (held in HK for nearly 1000 people, which last year raised US$1.2million). We are also working on preparing the annual report during the summer. So we haven't had the extra hands we need to answer queries like yours that require more than a simple response. I'm sure you understand.
I can only answer your question for myself, not for the others who work with ICM.
The Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God. And of course, we can't fully know what that means. But we can make some guesses. Of course, that means that we were made to be creative as God is creative. And we were made to have authority, to be caretakers of the world, as God is of us. But it also means we were made to be relational as God is relational in the Trinity.
I've thought a lot about how that last point. Before time, God existed in a Trinity relationship. The father, son, and spirit within the God-head existed in a living, loving, dynamic, interactive, joyful, worshipful, serving relationship. Throughout scripture, there are glimpses of what that relationship was like. But the one thing that stands out to me is how they relate to each other. They enjoy each other. They serve each other. Each has a role, but they defer to each other. And it is out of this relationship we were created.
In creation, it was as if God said, let's create man and woman, and invite them into the dance with us. Let's invite them to join us in relationship - in fellowship with us. Worshiping, serving, enjoying, deferring, interacting, and loving.
Of course, we messed it all up by insisting we wanted to dance according to our own rules and He's been trying to bring us back for all history.
But your question is to "explain the gain of working for the Lord on your well being to encourage others to love their neighbors.” Since we are made in the image of God, we will find our greatest joy, satisfaction, fulfillment, affirmation, sense of "home", when we are doing what God made us to do. And that's to do the things the Trinity has been doing since the beginning of time. To serve, to love, to honor our brothers, to put others first. When we serve, we are doing what Jesus did. We are doing what we were ultimately made to do. We are doing what God knows will give us the greatest meaning and fulfillment in life.
No greater love has anyone than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. That's what God did for us. And He did it for the joy set before Him. And when we lay down our lives for others, there's joy set before us as well.
That's what motivates me.
Warmly,
Deanna
Deanna Sutherland
Executive Director-International Care Ministries - Hong Kong - http://www.caremin.com/
Wow, that is what I felt, like I was at home. I personally have managed miniscule acts of work for the Lord, it is a reflex, but when I feel warm and as if the hand of God was on my shoulder it is because, I am at home, and it is joy.
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