Just a Job!

Mark Cavendish, the British cyclist from the Isle of Man, who won the Green Jersey at this year's Tour de France, described his life as a cyclist as 'Just a Job'! Having finished the race on a Sunday in Paris, he was due to race the next day again, but actually was allowed a day off by his employers!
Next year, the opening race at the London Olympics takes place just one week after the end of the Tour de France. Not much of a break there.
It made me think about living daily as a Christian. How much 'time off' do we expect from living for Jesus? Do we imagine that we can relax and put our feet up some of the time - like August? Or are we always on duty?
Jesus laid out the requirements of discipleship as a daily habit. 'Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? (Luke 9.23-25)
During holiday times, we may be in a different environment, and doing different activities from our normal routines, but we are always on duty, and always available to do the will of the One who has called us into his service. In that sense, being a follower of Jesus is 'Just a Job!'
That means that we face the same pressures to be greedy and grumpy during holiday times as the rest of the year. So we need to keep close to Jesus, to have Him live his life through us.
Hope the Job goes well today!
Best wishes,
Richard