“Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, 24knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve” Colossians 3:23-24 AMP
Today we are reminded that our Christian life doesn’t include only Sunday! The Scripture challenges us to remember that this life we are living should be lived unto the glory of the Lord. Of course, this verse speaks clearly to our ministry service to God, but it also includes the word “whatever!” the root word in the Greek here literally means “the totality or sum of everything.” Our jobs, our family, our finances, our time, our personal lives, all are included in the call into the service of our Master! Some try to segregate their lives from the ministry when your life is your ministry! Pastoral ministry is only one small part of the ministry. We have the ministry of nursing, accounting, bus driving, teaching, mechanic, manager, housewife, and the list goes on! The Scripture tells us that,
“You show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:3 AMP
Paul adds an intensity to his exhortation by using the phrase, “work from the soul.” The word here denotes the place from which the motivation arises. It is the reason for the action that you are undertaking. He then connects this to the reality that what we are doing isn’t simply taking up time but rather it has been inspired by the divine plan of our Savior! Some people find their daily work becomes dull and monotonous. They tend to lose their joy and inspiration becoming negative and cynical. We must remember that it is God who is at work in us to accomplish His purpose and plan. It is a clear reflection of our spiritual condition how we approach the simple and mondain tasks assigned to us. The Psalmist wrote the following,
“And let the [gracious] favor of the Lord our God be on us; Confirm for us the work of our hands– Yes, confirm the work of our hands.” Psalms 90:17 AMP
What are people reading about your life in Christ? How are you responding to the work that God is doing in your life? Are you excited to be in the process of being conformed to the image of Christ in your life? I pray today that you will find joy in the tasks that heaven has assigned you! May God richly bless you as you allow Him to accomplish His will in your life. Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken