It's worth it

      I am preparing some thoughts for a funeral that I have this afternoon.  The dear saint lived 82 years and was a delightful example of faithfulness to her Lord; to her family and to our church.  I officiated at her 88 year old husband's funeral last September who likewise had been a faithful servant of God for many years.
      At the graveside of a believer, I always turn to 1 Corinthians 15 and speak of the certainty of the resurrection.  My eyes wandered down to the last verse of that chapter and I thought I'd share some words of encouragement with you today from there.
      “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.” (15:58, ESV)
      That’s something to remember when you are in the midst of your service for Christ.  As anyone involved in ministry knows full well; it gets tiring.  It gets frustrating when you struggle against opposition that seems to come from the most unexpected places.  It gets exhausting to continue on some days.  If not the weariness of ministry itself, there is always the burden of knowing that what we are doing really does matter for eternity.  That is a weight of responsibility that is unknown in any other discipline.
      The great confidence that we have in our service for Christ is that the victory is already won.  The end of the story is told.  The conclusion to the account is already written.  There is no question as to how history will be concluded.  The only question comes in our daily “grind” as we slug it out, seeking to be faithful.
      Let’s keep a couple of principles in mind from this verse:
  1. Make sure your feet are firmly planted.  Being sure you are not moved off target or slowed in your service for Christ is the first thing.  It’s OK to work on standing firm.  Sometimes we feel as though we are not making the progress we think we should.  Remember that the first thing is to stand firm. 
  2. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.  There is no room for half-hearted commitment or service.  We cannot afford to make any mistakes about what it is going to take for us to be effective for God.  It will take our all.  It will be essential that we give everything we have.
  3.  This kind of unswerving commitment is worth it!  “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  Have you ever come to the end of a day and wondered whether the weariness you feel was worth the effort?  Paul assures us that when our labor is “in the Lord,” it is never empty or useless.

Does that put a little pep in your step?  Does that give you some encouragement to continue on?  Elsewhere Paul encouraged his readers not to become weary in doing good because they would reap a harvest at the right time.
“Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of doing your work here on earth.  Please encourage us with the truth that you have already won the victory.  We are just cleaning up and finishing some of the final details.  Give us strength to carry on in your name and for your glory.”

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