Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Joyful Expectation of Christ's
Coming
Rev. Shibi Abraham
MTC of Oklahoma
33 Beware, keep
alert; for you do not know when the time will come.
God expects us to work because God is still working (But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working- John 5:17). Many people view work as a curse, but it really is a blessing. After God created Adam, he put him in the “garden of Eden to till and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). God had entrusted Adam to perform work as part of his existence because work is part of life that God expects from people. It was in Genesis 3, after sin entered the world that work also lost its true purpose and became distorted. Work was intended to be a blessing. In fact in the Jewish word AVODAH is used in different parts of the Old Testament for work and for worship. This denotes that work is a form of worship. Work was intended to be a blessing to people, a way to help develop the individual and a means of providing a service to the community. Work is supposed to provide a common good.
One of the many blessings that Jesus Christ bestows on us that he once again makes work a blessing. In this passage, he instructs his disciples to work as they await His return. In this portion they are told to keep awake and pray. They are told that they will not know when Jesus will return, but that He will return, so they must be faithful and engaged in the work they are entrusted to perform. They are encouraged to have the patience to wait and persevere to continue in their work, because he will one day return.
It is our faith as a Christian that makes us joyfully await the return of Jesus. This same faith gives us patience and perseverance, two qualities that we need in every aspect of our lives. Patience to trust in God that everything will happen in His time. Patience to understand that Jesus will return when the time is right, and no one knows when that time will be, so we should not be lead astray by people predicting His return. In addition, we need perseverance to be faithfully working for Christ till he returns. Our work is to have a benefit for those around us, not just to satisfy our own greed or needs. We should not grow weary or become disheartened because we are working. We should be joyful in our work, remembering that it is a form of worship, and thanking God for the opportunity and the ability to work.
God expects us to work because God is still working (But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working- John 5:17). Many people view work as a curse, but it really is a blessing. After God created Adam, he put him in the “garden of Eden to till and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). God had entrusted Adam to perform work as part of his existence because work is part of life that God expects from people. It was in Genesis 3, after sin entered the world that work also lost its true purpose and became distorted. Work was intended to be a blessing. In fact in the Jewish word AVODAH is used in different parts of the Old Testament for work and for worship. This denotes that work is a form of worship. Work was intended to be a blessing to people, a way to help develop the individual and a means of providing a service to the community. Work is supposed to provide a common good.
One of the many blessings that Jesus Christ bestows on us that he once again makes work a blessing. In this passage, he instructs his disciples to work as they await His return. In this portion they are told to keep awake and pray. They are told that they will not know when Jesus will return, but that He will return, so they must be faithful and engaged in the work they are entrusted to perform. They are encouraged to have the patience to wait and persevere to continue in their work, because he will one day return.
It is our faith as a Christian that makes us joyfully await the return of Jesus. This same faith gives us patience and perseverance, two qualities that we need in every aspect of our lives. Patience to trust in God that everything will happen in His time. Patience to understand that Jesus will return when the time is right, and no one knows when that time will be, so we should not be lead astray by people predicting His return. In addition, we need perseverance to be faithfully working for Christ till he returns. Our work is to have a benefit for those around us, not just to satisfy our own greed or needs. We should not grow weary or become disheartened because we are working. We should be joyful in our work, remembering that it is a form of worship, and thanking God for the opportunity and the ability to work.
PRAYER
O Lord accept my work as
part of my worship. Amen.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
Are you doing work on behalf of the Kingdom of God?
Are you doing work on behalf of the Kingdom of God?