The other day I was back and forth with my friend Richard on e-mail about something. After I wrote a message explaining why the subject of our conversation was important to me, he responded, “Well, that and, you are an attorney, for God’s sake.” “Literally,” he added.
Although his intended use of “for God’s sake” in his sentence was as an exclamation for emphasis, I smiled at my friend’s wonderful afterthought. Although I am no longer a practicing lawyer, there is accuracy to the meaning conveyed by his phrase when one omits the comma from it: I am an Attorney for God’s Sake, as I am a Law Professor for God’s Sake, or a Retreat Director for God’s Sake, or any of the other descriptions I may use to explain my various roles.
If my life belongs to God, then there is no part of my life that is separate from my discipleship. Everything I am, everything do, is a response to God’s call. Everything I am and do is for God’s sake, for the furtherance of God’s plan for me and for the world.
And the same is true for you.
Who are you for God’s sake?
Triple like!
This is a wonderful and a thrilling question you pose. Love this post. These phrases that pass down to us through the ages,containing the word God or Heaven or Lord,that seem to lose meaning for us,or have a generic meaning nowadays,really can and do have meaning for us and galvanize us into self-examination.. I am reminded of the ancient Celts who prayed about everything all day long,waking,rising,bathing,every little and large gesture of existence had a prayer. And these phrases we sprinkle into our conversation,what power,what meaning did they originally hold? So thankful for you and this blog.
Perfect. What a provoking question you pose! thank you Susan. Another terrific blog post.
Here is friend Richard (yes, the very one) joining in… Susan, your question makes me recall Mary Oliver’s poem, “A Summer’s Day.” Thanks for the reminder.
For those not familiar with that wonderful poem of Mary Oliver’s that Richard mentioned in his comment, you can listen to the poet reading it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16CL6bKVbJQ. As she asks at the end:
“What is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
[...] University of St. Thomas Law School in Minneapolis and blogs at Creo en Dios! It’s called “For God’s Sake,” and I hope that you find it as encouraging in the high calling of your daily work as I have: The [...]