Daily Life Is Important Work
By Meg Bucher
“So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
Perched aside me on a piece of driftwood, looking out over the blue lake in October, my daughter adamantly assured me she hated being competitive and wouldn’t be running track. “What don’t you like about being competitive?” I asked, “Is it the possibility of losing to other people or the pain of pushing yourself to your limit?” Paul wrote to the Colossians,
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you are working for the Lord rather than people.” (Colossians 3:23 NLT)
A brilliant scholar, Paul became a Pharisee so astute he led the way in persecuting the early followers of Christ before he become one himself. “Saul was a young man one who was well educated and on his way to becoming a rabbi,” Pamela Palmer wrote in “What Do We Know about Paul before His Conversion?” BibleStudyTools.com explains, “Saul was born in Tarsus, which was an affluent and diverse community that valued education. Saul was also a Roman citizen.” Saul eventually became Paul after his conversion experience with Christ Jesus and put just as much exuberant effort into spreading the gospel. He wrote to his brother in faith, Timothy,
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT)
The beautiful fall day my daughter and I were immersed in was like walking through a painting. God is limitless, but we have limits. Paul so adamantly preached about our efforts in life. It’s great to beat other people at things. Competition is valuable when it pushes us past our limits to bring glory to God with our lives …whether or not we “win,” that is the picture of victory.
God promises a plan for us which is more than we can ask for or imagine. To walk the road home to Him requires us to push beyond our limits. Freedom from the fear which convinces us we can’t do hard things …impossible things, is possible. We can and will accomplish miraculous feats in Christ Jesus if we are willing to compete with the voice inside of us, which begs us to bail out and stay safe.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Life’s hard seasons often catch us when we are the least prepared. Much like an athlete practices daily, our minds and hearts require the steady, daily routine of working the muscles of our faith. Reading the Bible every day, and seeking the Lord in prayer, are essential building blocks for strong faith that can withstand tough trials.
Christ came to earth and died on the cross so that we would have life to the full. But it takes work. It requires our obedient steps toward Him every day and away from the patterns of the world, which hold empty pursuits and promises. There is a battle waging daily between good and evil which intends to steal, kill, and destroy us. Whether we like competition or not, it’s imperative, as Paul preached, to do everything with the best effort we can give …for the glory of God. This is fighting the good fight of faith. Let’s get in shape!
Father,
This is the day You have made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Your mercies are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness! Thank You for connecting us to You daily through the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. Through Him, we are able to understand Scripture and remember the encouragement and wisdom You give us in times we need it the most. Equip us for the race You designed us to run. Help us to stay humble, motivated, and hard-working at everything we do.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Further Reading:
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/TinnakornJorruang
Meg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ at megbucher.com. She is the author of “Friends with Everyone, Friendship within the Love of Christ,” “Surface, Unlocking the Gift of Sensitivity,” “Glory Up, The Everyday Pursuit of Praise,” “Home, Finding Our Identity in Christ,” and "Sent, Faith in Motion." Meg earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. Meg loves being involved in her community and local church, leads Bible study, and serves as a youth leader for teen girls.
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