Working Weary or Working With The Lord?
Have you felt overwhelmed by too much work? Many times, we are overloaded with overbooked calendars and too little time to do the things we have to do, not to mention the things we would like to do. Most of us are always busy trying to complete the tasks or jobs for the day. Our society is works-based in every way imaginable. The eighties were a decade that made longer workdays the in-thing. Forty-hour weeks were considered short in comparison to the more popular sixty to eighty-hour weeks. Stay-at-home moms had to get busier too. Today, with advances in technology and a “faster is better” mentality, doing more is a must. Even our kids are obliged to participate in extra-extracurricular activities, thinking they are necessary for higher education opportunities. As a result, many of us are worn out, stressed out, and burned out from so much work.
In studying the construction of the tabernacle and its articles, we do not read of any overwhelming or stressful problems. The Lord commanded Moses who commanded the people to do all that the Lord had spoken. Simply put, Moses did what the Lord commanded and finished the work. What are we to learn from this story? The work that Moses did was given to him by the Lord. Moses followed the instructions to the exact detail, nothing added, nothing omitted. The Lord gave the gifts that were needed to do all of the designs and the Lord had already provided the required materials. The building of the tabernacle is a beautiful example of a perfect union between God and man. And the results were nothing short of miraculous.
Think for a moment about the work you are doing today. Did the Lord instruct you to do these things? Has God given you the tools and talents to carry out the work? Are you working in unison with God, following His instructions and doing all that He says? The things we choose to do outside of the Lord’s plans for us will lead to fatigue, frustration and futility in our efforts. We get so busy just being busy that many of us do not stop to include the Lord in our activities.
Have you spent time with the Lord today? Is He part of your “work” day? Maybe there is a tabernacle project in your life and God wants to do something miraculous through you. Pray that today is the day you let God take over all of your work. Get together with Him and see what happens.
Wow, this couldn’t have been more perfect. I had an extremely busy day, a bit overwhelming and completely unexpected, which is why I’m just now getting the devotion posted this late in the evening. I had a moment of thought, I’ll just skip the devotion today, I’ve been so busy and I just want to do nothing but The Lord nudged me ever so gently and whispered, go, so I obeyed and I’m so glad I did. We can’t allow the things in life to overtake His place in our lives. He must be our number one priority above all else. Make time for Him, day or night, it’s never to late to spend time with The Lord! He sees and He knows your heart, just show up and He will meet you right where you are. You are as close to God as you choose to be.
Have a wonderful evening in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Proverbs 3:6
It’s Just That Simple
The “He” and the “Him” in these verses is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He came to earth to save His people, but many of His own people rejected Him. For those who “received Him,” Jesus gave them inheritance into the kingdom of God. All they had to do was “believe in His name.” There was nothing else to do, not even their best religious works would be good enough to earn salvation. The same is true for us today as we have the Word of God to teach us about Jesus. The Gospel of John was written so that we would believe in Him, a simple message that requires simple faith. But is it really that simple?
The short answer is “yes.” It is just that simple. All anyone has to do to be saved and inherit eternal life with God in heaven is to believe in His Son Jesus and the work He did on the cross. If it is that easy, then why doesn’t everyone believe? Jesus would compare the faith required of us to the faith of a child. He desires for all of us to have childlike faith. Why? Because children just believe. They trust without proof of purchase. They do not carry baggage from years of pain, mistrust and betrayal. They do not know what it means to be skeptical, cynical or illogical. But we do. We get hardened by the world and its imprints on our lives. And, unfortunately, some have been hurt by Christians themselves. Even those of us who are Christians, who believe in Jesus, walk around without any power to change. Where is the victory that overcomes the world? In everyday life, it is not so easy to believe in a God we cannot see or hear or touch. When the world takes our time and attention, we have an even harder time believing beyond what we are dealing with at the moment.
If you feel overwhelmed with life, take a moment and set your eyes on Jesus. Ask Him to help you believe His promise to never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Ask Him to help you believe that He has a future and a hope for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) Ask Jesus to fill you with His peace that He promised to leave with you (John 14:27). Stop trying to work it all out for yourself. And if you are having trouble believing, ask the Lord to help you even to believe (Mark 9:23-24). We spend so much time on other things; why not spend some of it with the Lord today?
What a powerful devotion full of such truth! What I love about today’s devotion when I read it is how much scripture there is to lean on for every situation you face. Whatever you are facing today, go to The Word, seek His face and you will find the answers you are searching for. Spend time with God today, don’t make Him an after thought make Him the center of your life. The best gifts we can give ourselves is time with God.
Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 23
Take Time to Stop
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)
“Be still” is a phrase often commanded by parents. Children have an abundance of energy that seems to have no limits at times, regardless of where they may be. The command to “be still” usually comes when either the energy level has reached a fevered pitch or when the environment is not conducive to an overabundance of activity, such as riding in a car or sitting in church. However, getting a child to be still from just speaking the words is most often a futile attempt at best; sometimes, more serious action is required.
As children of God, we are not so different. We tend to lead overactive lives filled with busyness and activities that seem to have few boundaries themselves. The difference is that, as adults, we have no one telling us to “be still” and slow down. We think the busier we are, the better we are for us and for those around us. Most of us even feel better just by staying active and over stimulated. Our society not only endorses this behavior but also has, for the most part, created the standards for it. How many of us would like to be known as weak, feeble, or slack? We most likely would be insulted by such words. But God says that we are to “be still,” which is defined in Hebrew with such words. God is the One who tells us not to put anything above or before Him in our lives, even our energy levels and activities.
Just as with a child, sometimes our attention must be captured by God using more drastic actions. I heard the Lord telling me to slow down but it took physical changes in my life before I began to listen and obey. All God wants is more of us. He wants to be with us and He wants our undivided attention when we are with Him. It is a command to “be still,” to be weak and to be at rest, before our God. Take time today to stop and be still before the Lord. Pray that you can “know” that He is your Lord and Savior and that you can be with Him in stillness and peace. If you hear Him telling you to be still, then listen and obey and do not wait: start today.
When I read this I couldn’t help but recognize it can be extremely difficult for some to “be still” and I don’t believe God wants us to turn our backs on our responsibilities. He wants us to be still and make time for Him in and throughout our days. As hard for some as it may be, setting your alarm even a half hour earlier so you can wake and spend time in prayer and in your word before the day demands your attention is a great way to be still. Let’s start making Him a priority today.
Have a wonderful day in The Lord!
Today’s Reading is Psalm 46