|
|
|
|
  |
Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Work Abounding?
How can you be "steadfast" when your knees are about to
buckle? How can you be "immovable" when you want to run? And, as for "abounding,"
how much more work does God expect? Paul wrote this verse to comfort the weary
but without careful reading there is nothing comforting about it!
The first key to comfort is recognizing the difference between
abounding in work and abounding with work. [1] Abounding with
means there is a lot of the stuff. It is like saying Texas summers "abound"
with heat. There is more than I needed. More of it than I want. More than my
share!
On the other hand, to abound in something is a
statement about me. The work may be a little or the work may be much. It
doesn't matter. I am the one abounding, not the work. When I abound in
my work the beautiful fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.)
are not diminished. I abound on the inside while my hands do the work on the
outside.
There is also a hidden word of caution in this verse: Our
"abounding" is restricted to "the work of the Lord." It is not work we took on
because we felt guilty. It is not work driven by ambition or self promotion.
The work isn't something we do because no one else does it to suit our
standards. To "abound" in work, it must His work.
Taking the New Testament as a whole, we discover the "Lord's
work" is any task or attitude that Jesus places within our realm of
responsibility. His work might be serving grape juice to a thirsty two year old
or standing day after day on an assembly line packaging frozen chickens because
the rent needs paid. It includes a smile and seeking another's benefit above
our own. It's a surgeon holding someone's life in her hands and a forgotten
woman in a nursing home spending a moment in prayer. Any activity that is
performed in obedience to Him, is
the work of the Lord. When our schedule is trimmed back to these tasks, His
Spirit provides strength to abound.
When Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes he considered everything
done "under the sun" [2] and found nothing but empty labor and wearisome, useless
repetition. Nothing was worth the effort. Nothing really mattered in the end.
But, this dreadful picture of life on earth changed drastically with the
resurrection of Christ. It took the coming of Jesus to provide reasons why life
was not in vain.
Paul gives the logic behind our steadfast, unmovable
abounding. It's something we know that serves as a foundation holding it all
together. We know that our efforts are not useless. They mean something. They
have value. Jesus takes notice. Each will be rewarded. The daily, repetitive
cycle of life under the sun is not all there is. Eternity waits with open arms
giving continual life to those who follow Him. Knowing that, makes steadfast,
immovable abounding possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wishing You Grace and Peace,
Elizabeth Baker
[1]
Although some modern paraphrased editions do not use
these exact prepositions, Young's Literal Translation as well as KJV and
NKJV
keep the original, literal intent.
[2] Ecclesiastes 1:3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
