June 10 - Serving the Lord

 Read today’s texts first: Songs of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When what we do is for the Lord,
every task in our day takes on significance. 

The closing words of Ephesians summarizes our calling as believers:  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (6:7). The word “vocation” (4:1 KJV) refers to a calling (same root as “vocal”). It can apply to any career, from presidents to pastors to party planners to pipe-fitters. Because you are working for God, not just men, your duties go far beyond planning parties or fitting pipes. You are on assignment as a representative of God and His Kingdom wherever and with whomever you work!

When we choose to live a life worthy of the calling you’ve received (4:1 NIV) we will experience the promises that fill this God-inspired letter. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, chosen to be holy and blameless, predestined to be adopted, redeemed by His blood, forgiven, lavished with grace, given wisdom and understanding, made aware of the mystery of his will, chosen according to his plan, and marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit - and that’s just the first half of chapter one.

I love my job. It’s very different from my work during the previous 40 years, but it feels as meaningful as anything I’ve ever done. When what we do is for the Lord, every task in our day takes on significance. Our life stands in stark contrast to the meaninglessness of a life lived without God, described by Solomon in the book we just finished. When we serve God instead of men, He gets involved in our daily routine. The ordinary takes on extraordinary proportions.

Recently we had one of those moments. A woman was sent to our facility from a hospital without any family history that we could confirm. While her words sounded coherent, her medical condition made it difficult for her and for us to separate the truth from her imagination. After prayer with her and each other, a random person walked in, for a completely unrelated reason. “Coincidentally” while touring our facility, she saw the woman and exclaimed, “that's my sister!” These miraculous moments happen often when we work for God!

“Lord, I love working for You. You are my Lord, my God, and my Boss!”