Labor
Now Playing: On what are we spending our energy ?
Topic: Laboring
One of the aspects of the holidays we look forward to is more time with friends and family and less time at work, laboring for our employer. Solomon could say "in all labour there is profit" (Proverbs 14:23), but also lamented, "for what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?" (Lamentations 2:22). The warning is given, "Labour not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom" (Proverbs 23:4).

Paul could write "Let him that stole steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth" (Ephesians 4:28). Likewise, the Lord Jesus warned the people at Capernaum, "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you..." (John 6:27) Jesus had said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". (Matthew 11:28)

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are urged, "My beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord". (1 Corinthians 15:58) "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward His Name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister" (Hebrews 6:10) Paul said to the believers in Thessalonica, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ..." (1 Thes. 1:3)

In seeking to work for the Lord, there will be opposition, as Nehemiah found. "And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, 'the work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye ... unto us; our God shall fight for us'. So we laboured in the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared." (Nehemiah 4:19-21) We have an enemy who will oppose God's work. But we are encouraged, "Now he that planteth, and he that watereth are one; and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are laborers together with God..." (1 Cor. 3:8-9)

Of the martyrs it could be said, "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord...that they may have rest from their labours, and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:13) For those who seek to be true to Him, it was recorded, "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience..." (Revelation 2:2) May we use our energy and resources to labor for Him! "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest." (Luke 10:2)