ARE YOU ASLEEP?
Today’s 1-yr Bible readings include a warning for those prone to laziness (Proverbs 24:30-34) and an Apostles’ accommodation for hard work (1 Thessalonians 1:2-8).
I know God doesn’t need anyone to provide Him anything. So, why would a transcendent God, one who is not bound by time or space or age or circumstances, be interested at all in how you and I respond to difficulties? Why would God encourage us to “work (produced by faith) “labor” (prompted by love), and endurance (inspired by hope), as He did the Thessalonians. The same God tells us in Proverbs that the “sluggard … lacks wisdom” and neglects the resources God gave him (field and vineyard) for a little more sleep.
If God is self-sufficient (and He is) and we can’t give Him anything He doesn’t already have (and we can’t) then perhaps the reason He commends our work and urges us not to squander the resources He provides, is because there is an intrinsic value and a benefit to us in doing the hard work. The benefit is not our ease or comfort or wealth. One of the benefits of being a diligent worker in the task He assigns us through our employment, family, marriage, church service, and community is in the confidence we receive by knowing we are “in Christ”.
Especially in difficult days, God wants us to work, labor, and show endurance in the tasks assigned. Paul said that the demonstration of this intentional effort was empowered by the Spirit of God and gave evidence that the church was in Christ.
We are facing unprecedented times hard times (pandemic, racial unrest, and the fear of an unknown future). Now is the time for believers to be intentional with our work in all these areas so that when our community looks at our fields and vineyards as they go by, they will not see a church that is at sleep but one that is at work.
LORD let us be an example of a disciplined life of service especially when times are difficult.
I know God doesn’t need anyone to provide Him anything. So, why would a transcendent God, one who is not bound by time or space or age or circumstances, be interested at all in how you and I respond to difficulties? Why would God encourage us to “work (produced by faith) “labor” (prompted by love), and endurance (inspired by hope), as He did the Thessalonians. The same God tells us in Proverbs that the “sluggard … lacks wisdom” and neglects the resources God gave him (field and vineyard) for a little more sleep.
If God is self-sufficient (and He is) and we can’t give Him anything He doesn’t already have (and we can’t) then perhaps the reason He commends our work and urges us not to squander the resources He provides, is because there is an intrinsic value and a benefit to us in doing the hard work. The benefit is not our ease or comfort or wealth. One of the benefits of being a diligent worker in the task He assigns us through our employment, family, marriage, church service, and community is in the confidence we receive by knowing we are “in Christ”.
Especially in difficult days, God wants us to work, labor, and show endurance in the tasks assigned. Paul said that the demonstration of this intentional effort was empowered by the Spirit of God and gave evidence that the church was in Christ.
We are facing unprecedented times hard times (pandemic, racial unrest, and the fear of an unknown future). Now is the time for believers to be intentional with our work in all these areas so that when our community looks at our fields and vineyards as they go by, they will not see a church that is at sleep but one that is at work.
LORD let us be an example of a disciplined life of service especially when times are difficult.
by Robert Riggs
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!CLEAR PROMISESMEPHIBOSHETH AND THE KINGTRUST IN GOD'S LEADINGJESUS DOES THE FATHER'S WILL DEMONSTRATING LOVE FOR HIS MOTHER AND WAS GIVEN A KING'S BURIAL
June
No Comments