Labor: October 20, 2010

Today's Word for Wednesday October 20, 2010

LABOR

DEFINITION

Bodily toll for the earning of a livelihood; hard work; a task, strenuous effort.

SCRIPTURE
"Six days you shall labor and do all your work." Exodus 20:9

"Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life." John 6:27

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

How many people will recognize that it is not the labor of good works that will qualify them for eternal forgiveness? One who believes that good works alone is all one needs to have eternal life with our Lord is really attempting to buy forgiveness on credit. This is the philosophy of many religions. We all want to go to heaven. We all want everlasting life. Sin is the barrier that keeps us from heaven. So many people today believe that the more good works they do will earn their way to heaven.

God has sent His Son to this world and He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We are all sinners and we all need to pay the debt for our sins, but doing good works and hard labor will not get one into heaven. We need to realize we are sinners, ask God to forgive us of our sins and then ask Jesus into our hearts. Working or laboring hard will not achieve forgiveness of our sins.

God has pre-paid our sin-debt in full so He has no need for our feeble good works, no matter how hard and diligently we labor. So what did Christ mean when He said in John 6:27, "Do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life?" The crowd Jesus was speaking to asked the same question. They wanted to know what they had to do to do the work God requires. Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe on the one He has sent."

In Deuteronomy 10:12-13 we read that the work of God that He requires of us is "to fear the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to keep the Lord's commandments.

God expects us to labor and work hard, but as a ministry, representing Him in all we do. When you go to the work place every day, you go not only to earn the funds to live on daily but to represent Christ to those you labor with. Thus your work place is your place of ministry. Most people do not look at their job in that light but that is what God expects of us.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." If you are not getting up every day with your primary purpose of laboring for the Lord, then take a good look at your relationship with your Lord.

The author of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 6:10 that "God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do continue to minister." Remember Paul's words encouraging us to always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord because we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. I Corinthians 15:58.

As the first verse that we have listed above commands us -- one of the Ten Commandments - we are to labor six days and then rest on the seventh. Our seventh day should be dedicated to worshipping and praising God for all His blessings to us.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 3:16.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

PRAYER

It is my prayer today that my labor will be a labor of love for You. Whether, I am in my work place, my neighborhood or at home may all that I do and say honor Your name. May others see Christ not only in me but working through me.