So here we are. Another Monday morning. I'm not sure I'm quite ready for this one, because I have had a non-stop week, and I could just use one whole day all to myself today. But, that's not happening. However, the Lord has supplied what I needed. My attitude was not great as I rolled out of bed this morning, and yet, as I read through Colossians 3, there are two verses that I'm guessing would provide encouragement this morning for all of us:
"And whatever you do, whether in word of deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (vs. 17).
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (vs. 23-24).
I didn't realize that both of these verses were from the same chapter! Yet, they are different. The first verse says to do and say everything "in the name of the Lord" which means we do everything on behalf of or by the authority of Christ. As we work, we are serving the others around us on behalf of Christ! He does not normally appear in human form to physically care for and serve people on Earth; yet, He has given us the authority to do work for Him and in His name. Think about this implication of this! You are representing Christ as you work in that hospital today, or as you teach those students, or as you type numbers into a computer, or as you swipe groceries at the check-out line, or as you study for your classes. Whatever you do or say today, remember that you are an ambassador for Christ. He is your boss.
The second verse tells us HOW we should do this work on behalf of Christ. "Work at it with all your heart." When you are doing something that you absolutely love, and are putting your whole heart into it, what does that look like? Here's what it would look like for me: I would keep going until the "job" is done; I would not take many (if any) breaks; I would do whatever it takes to make the end result as perfect at I can; and in all this, I would be working cheerfully!
Okay, Molly, but you don't know my job. You don't know the horrible people I work with or the type of work I have to do! No, I don't. But your God does! And even in THAT circumstance where you work, He wants you to be an ambassador for Him. So how can we do that, no matter what our work might be?
Something else hit me as I was reading through Colossians 3 this morning (and it only did because I have been reading through these books, not just pieces here or there). Colossians is just a small 4-chapter book, and yet, Paul has mentioned the words "thankful, give thanks, or thankfulness" six times! I was thinking this wasn't the only book where I've heard this recently -- sure enough -- at least 7 more times in Philippians and Ephesians that we've already read. And usually, Paul is always considered to be the go-to author on JOY, yet look how often he speaks of having a thankful heart. Hmm....a connection? I think so!
In Colossians 3, he has been listing many different things a Christian should do in order to live as Christ would have us live. As he's coming to the end of this long 15-verse list, he begins, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." But then I had to smile, because it's like he almost forgot, so he added a short sentence, "And be thankful." There. Got it in there. But Paul has room to talk! Remember the list of Paul's sufferings (read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28). Yet, he still continues to have joy because of the thankfulness in his heart.
What are you thankful for this morning? Allow that thankfulness to turn to joy in your heart, and then out of that joy, that comes only from the Lord, serve your co-workers, clients, patients, and students as if they were Christ Himself. Paul said it in verse 24, "It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
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