“The Work God Has Planned For You”

Tuesday, September 05, 2023

BIBLE READING: 1 Peter 4.7-11; 1 Corinthians 15.58; 1 Thessalonians 5.15-22; Titus 3.4-8; John 6.26-29

The New Testament calls us to work, and our bible reading this week is a snapshot of this calling:

• “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” (1 Peter 4.10)
• “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15.58)
• “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.” (Titus 3.8)

God, through Christ has called us to himself and given us abundantly what we need for life and godliness so that we can work for him. Through his generosity, there is not a single person in Christ who lacks what they need. Therefore, our focus should not be on my perceived value or the difficulty in front of me, but his grace to me and making the most of what I’ve been given. That’s the parable of the talents (Matthew 25.14-30) and that’s the motivation for why we MUST work in our faith. We are called and equipped for service in every good work.

So, we must appreciate that in the body there is work that we all can do. This is a critical thought for all of us because there is such a vast spectrum of people composing the body of Christ. Some have very evident roles while others may never be seen. Some people are naturally confident, while others are more reserved. Some struggle with pride as they practice their faith while others insufficiency. These factors affect how we view others, ourselves, and the body as a whole. But what makes the body thrive is when each member is aware that 1) their function is given to them by grace and 2) has an attitude that ‘I MUST use my gift to serve the body.’

To do this, we must settle our attention on the right things. We must see people and their needs. We must see opportunities matching our abilities. We must open our hearts to the tug of God’s calling even when we are afraid or feel lacking. We must believe in Jesus, recognizing his grace is sufficient in every circumstance to allow us to serve him for the glory of his name. We may feel inadequate or limited but it is not my power that secures his promise. It is my faith in his completed work, trust in his direction and determination to follow Jesus that settles my spirit in obedience to do the work he has planned for me.

We must not get caught up in simply meeting our needs in the present. As Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat… drink… wear… is not life more than food and clothing? Besides that, your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6.25-34). We must set our minds on things above (Colossians 3.1) and realize that true fulfillment comes from believing Jesus and doing the work of God has planned for us (John 6.26-29).

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15.56-58)

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