Work and Worship

God’s grace at work -in my work…

By the Grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I but the Grace of God with me” – 1 Corinthians 15:10

God’s grace is with us in all we do. He enables me to work not for my own accomplishment, but for HIS own glory.

“He wills and he works for his good pleasure. But believing this does not make Christians passive. It makes them hopeful and energetic and courageous. Each day there is a work to be done in our special ministry. Paul commands us to work at doing it. But he tells us how to do it in the power of future grace: believe the promise that in this day God will be at work in you to will and to work for his good pleasure.” – John Piper, Future Grace

Every good work that I can possibly do is God at work in and thru me. For HIS glory.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Whatever work God has called me to, He provides grace to me all that I need to accomplish the ministry for His glory and purpose.

My labor because of who I am:
I am a christian woman. I desire more and more of Jesus, knowing him, worshipping him, and working for him.  I am a wife. I am called to serve, love, respect, grow with, minister with, repent with, my husband. As he loves Jesus and me, I become more radiant like Christ and the church. I am a mother. God has called me to raise four children up in him, serve them, nurture them, laugh and play with them, teach them, and guide them like a shepherd to Jesus, the great shepherd. I am a friend. God’s love happens in these relationships as we sharpen one another, preach the gospel to one another and confess sin to one another.   I am “in Christ.” So, every battle I fight, Jesus fought and won.  In Christ, I have eyes to see needs for others and in Christ, I can be in this world to love others…

In all of these callings- there is labor. Labor for what? For the Gospel. For God’s glory. I keep asking myself this fundamental question, “In my work/labor, am I worshiping JESUS?”

God’s grace is sufficient! Certainly!

Ah ha!

If I am worshiping Christ in my work–the focus is not on me working, the attention, the spotlight, the focus is on GOD being the worker. He is as Piper said, that…

God is the decisive worker.

Philippians 2:12-13 but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

As I am doing my “works, good deeds, labor” God is by the Holy Spirit moving my hands, in my heart showing me his grace.  His glory is revealed in the duties, works, and righteousness because of Jesus. I have this image in my head, of a misty glory rising off of my body because of Jesus and God is at work to receive it. Like a vapor moving out of my body, Christ absorbs it, for His glory! That glory is radiant and it is ALL His.

My work is because God is the most magnificent worker, and He is perfect at it.

Rest, What’s that?

Work, I get. It is familiar and mostly comfortable. Rest, however feels awkward, difficult and hardly feels satisfying.

The other side of work is REST. Both work and rest are amazing opportunities for worship. God has had me on a journey full of difficult twists and turns- learning how to depend on Him in my work, letting go of agendas, navigating through glory and repentance, and giving my roles to God as worship.

Genesis: 2:2
And on the 7th Day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the 7th day from all his work that he had done.

God rested.
We are finite creatures, unlike our Infinite God. He didn’t “need” rest, yet He rested. A whole day devoted to rest. He wasn’t weak or tired. He didn’t need to rest just to make it through to the next crazy busy week. What if God rested out of pure love for his people- as an example to show us how to  worship Him also by resting?

We are mind, body, heart. Our bodies often rest first, but does our mind and soul?

I don’t rest well. Work is my default and rest is more difficult. I work until I “need” to rest.  Rest is more of a necessity rather than discipline most of the time. Rest feels like pleasure and is far too infrequent. Yet, God calls me to rest – not as an optional survival method.

How many of us when we rest, take the moments to enjoy God? Our busyness is stilled and our soul finds satisfaction in refreshment of God? And when we experience this soul rest, we regret not resting more often? Exactly. That is why God established the Sabbath, to give us weekly opportunity to worship Him, with disciplined rest. Our bodies slow down long enough for our minds to be hearing the Lord, enjoy him, and be renewed.

We can rest, because we can trust God to take care of us.

Psalm 121 3 He will not let your foot slip— 
 he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel –will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, – nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— 
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going  both now and forevermore.

The Lord does not sleep, he is constantly aware and watchful. We can rest because our Lord is caring for us. I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to calm down, take deep breaths, feel the warmth of my savior’s protection around me, and rest.
My soul rest is connected to my belief or unbelief. If I am anxious, I am not likely resting. If I am fearful, I am not likely to be calm.

God wants us to rest.

Learning to rest feels like work! This is a new thing for me, but I know God will continue to pursue my heart and I look forward to more restful moments with him. The unsatisfied feeling of rest can change. As God brings conviction and clarity, I am hopeful for continued calm and sweet rest.