WORK!!!

WORK! Now there is a word for you students to think about this summer! But summer is for rest, relaxation, and fun not work. Well let me say that first actual physical productive work is a positive thing. We are made to work, be producing, and active. It is good for the body and the mind. There are a lot of warnings in scripture about laziness. Let me shift gears a little though and mention work in the spiritual realm. Work is a lot of times misunderstood. Some people have the attitude that they are “working for God”! That is really a misunderstanding about what it means to walk with Christ (though it is used with good intentions). To be a Christian is to walk in what God is doing. We don’t work for God. He is at work in us and through us. On the other hand some people feel like that means they do nothing. They are so afraid of the word work in the spiritual realm that they have decided the best thing to do is to do nothing. After all they would never want to be accused of trying to work their way to heaven. This is an improper understanding of what it means to walk with Christ also. So what am I to do then? What is the work I should be doing? In John 6 Jesus had a dialogue with some folks who had a similar question.

"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." John 6:27-29

So what is the work of God that we are to do? Trust Christ. In this passage “believe” is in the aorist tense, which means at a point in time. We are told in Colossians 2:6 that as you have received (by faith) Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk (ongoing- present tense) in Him. The activity in our life is to believe, be persuaded in who Christ is and what Christ is doing in and through us. To walk in Him. SO what is my encouragement to us in that? Well don’t take the summer off. Hopefully you all have something productive in some way to be doing this summer. Look for ways to be active and interacting with people. Serve, give, and work. But most importantly be intentional about your walk with Christ this summer (and every season). Listen for His voice, spend time in His Word, and walk in what He is doing!