Tag: God Is Love

Once a Task is Thus Begun

Ephesians 6:7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

My Grandpa Etzler had a rhyme he would share with me and my cousins when we were little.  He said it so often that we engraved it on a gold plaque for him to hang in his bedroom and we buried it with him when he passed away.  It said:

Once a task is thus begun

Never leave it ‘til it’s done.

Be the task great or small

Do it well or not at all.

My grandpa was trying to teach us a level of work ethic that you don’t always see in today’s society.  The concept is real simple.  If you start something, finish it.  It doesn’t matter if it is a big project at work or a small project at home.  Finishing the project will give you a sense of accomplishment and will show others that you are proud of your work.  But grandpa didn’t just say finish it either, he said do it well or not at all.  Take the time to do it RIGHT.  Crease the edges.  Dot the I’s.  Cross the T’s. 

In Ephesians 6:7, Paul is also encouraging responsibility and integrity on the job just like my grandpa was.  If Christ was your employer, would that change the way you do your job?  Can you be trusted to do your best even when your boss is not around?  As Christians, we should strive to be a reflection of Jesus in everything we do, whether that is working at your career in the business world, cleaning houses, raising your children or ringing up customers at a grocery store.  You should do your job with enthusiasm as if Christ was your supervisor. 

Are you an employer?  Do you have people reporting to you at your place of employment?  What if Christ was your employee?  Would that change the way you treated your employees?  Although you may be at different levels than your employees in this earthly society, God does not play favorites.  No one is more important than anyone else.  We are all brothers and sister in Christ.

Remember, no matter who you work for and no matter who works for you, the One you should ultimately want to please is your Father in heaven.  So, work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.  Finish what you start and do it as though Christ is watching, because He is. 

Dear Father in heaven, thank you for providing me with a job.  Help me to work with enthusiasm and to finish what I start.  I want to make you proud of me.  In your name I pray, Amen.

Give it to God

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Oh my goodness, this is the hardest thing to do but the most amazing thing to do too.  Life can be crazy.  You know it.  I know it.  Today was my oldest son’s birthday and he invited 4 friends over for the weekend.  My youngest son had a basketball tournament this morning and he invited a friend to spend the weekend too.  My middle son called me while I was at the tournament to let me know he was going to a movie with a friend this afternoon and needed a ride.  I needed to get my nails done and my parents came in from Waxahachie to see the tournament and celebrate the birthday.  How on earth was I going to manage everything that was going on today AND write a devotional?

I could have stressed about it all day.  I could have gotten grumpy or short tempered with everyone.  But instead, I took a deep breath and I prayed about it.  I thanked God that I have a big, crazy family.  I thanked God for birthdays and friends and fun.  I thanked God that my children are healthy and love to play sports (because I love to watch them play) and I thanked God that my parents live close enough that they can come visit me and the boys any time.  I requested God’s presence in my day, then I used my God given talents of time management (ha ha) and we worked together to get everything done. 

You may think that a busy day is not the kind of request that Philippians 4:6 is talking about.  But it is.  It says not to be anxious about ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING, present your requests to God.  Nothing is too small or too BIG to present to our Father in heaven.  He wants us to share everything with him that is bothering us and making us feel anxious.  So, present your sickness, present your financial burdens, present your broken relationships, present your doubts and fears, but present your busy day too.  Present your indecision about the paint color you are trying to choose.  Present the challenges of finding the right outfit for your next date.  Nothing is too trivial for our God.

Besides, it says in Matthew 6:27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”  So my advice to you is simple . . . Give it to God.  He is much better equipped to deal with the stress than I am.

Lord, thank you for loving me so much.  Help me to remember that you are my rock and strength and that you alone can carry all my burdens.  Amen.

Dandelions

Psalms 46:5 God is within her; she will not fall.

I am the mother of 3 boys.  When they were little and all three would tackle me at the same time, I started telling them they needed to be careful with me because I was a delicate flower.  After a while, that became “my thing”.  I was known as the delicate flower.  Now, my boys always knew I was saying that kind of tongue-and-cheek.  Being a single mother, I could not afford to be delicate in any way.  In fact, I’m quite tough.  So today, whenever I say I’m a delicate flower, my middle son says, “No, you’re not.  You’re the Mominator.” 

Recently I read about a flower that reminded me of this contradiction . . . tough and delicate.  The flower is a dandelion.  Dandelions are resilient and can grow anywhere.  I read that they can even grow under a wall, but they will not grow straight under the weight of the wall.  Remove the wall and the dandelion will straighten up after a while.  Isn’t that the same with us?  The enemy will whisper lies to you about how you are alone and not loved.  He will tell you that you are not worthy of God’s love and forgiveness.  But we are like dandelions waiting to grow straight.  If you can identify the enemy and the wall he is trying to build in your life, you can tear it down and grow straight and tall towards salvation. 

Dandelions are also delicate and beautiful.  About a week after they bloom into a pretty yellow flower, the flower turns into a puff ball of seeds which are blown away by the wind.  People also love to pick dandelions, blow on them, and make a wish.  The seeds float through the air and land all over the world. That is what happens when you share God’s love.  You may never know exactly where the seeds will land or if they will take root and grow, but you should keep spreading them.

We should all have a little dandelion in us.  Tough as a weed against the enemy one moment and beautiful and delicate enough to spread God’s seeds of love across the earth the next.

Lord, thank you for creating the delicate but tough dandelion.  Help us to identify and remove the wall in our life so that we may grow straight and tall.  Encourage us to spread your love to all the earth. Amen

Way Maker

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

There is a worship song we sang at church last week called “Way Maker”.  A few lines of the song say “Even when I don’t see it, he’s working.  Even when I don’t feel it, he’s working.  He never stops, he never stops working.”  This song has been on my heart all week.  I knew I wanted to write about it, but I wasn’t sure exactly how.  Then God gave me this Bible verse and it all came together. 

God has a plan and His plan is that everyone comes to know Christ Jesus.  So, you and I, as Christians, go about our everyday life but behind the scenes, the Holy Spirit is working on people.  He is working, even when you don’t see it.  He is working, even when you don’t feel it.  He is working on your neighbor.  The neighbor that doesn’t mow his lawn and leaves his trash cans out two days too long.  He is working on the funny co-worker that sits across the office from you.  He is working on the total stranger that rides the same train to work as you do.  He is working on your brother.  He never stops working and you are part of his plan.  He is going to use you, because you have been called according to his purpose.

If you are a Christian, the Bible says that ALL THINGS that have happened to you will be used by God for good.  Not just isolated incidents, ALL THINGS.  But that doesn’t mean that everything that happens to you will be good.  The pain of loss, the sorrow of depression and the sting of rejection can be used for good too.  Because you have experienced those things yourself, you can recognize them in the friends, family, co-workers and strangers you encounter every day. 

Then comes the cool part, the Holy Spirit will do what he does best and put that person in your path.  All you have to do is be aware of the people around you.  Look up.  Smile.  Say hello.  Have a conversation and let the love of Jesus shine out of you.  You may be the only Jesus that person sees today.  Then when the time is right and that person is ready, invite them to your church.  Most people that have never been to a church say they have never been invited to church.  So, let’s get that obstacle out of the way.  Invite them.  Then let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

Lord, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to help me with your plan.  Please open my eyes to what the Holy Spirit is doing in the people that are all around me every day so that I can be the physical hands and feet of Jesus on earth.  Amen