Work of the Lord
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Today’s Text: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become immortal (verse 53). We will be given immortal, spiritual bodies when Jesus returns. But in a very important sense, our immortality does not begin after we die, but it starts right now through faith in Christ.
And if our immortality begins right now through faith, then there are implications for our lives right now, too. We are to stand firm in the faith. We are to let nothing move us from the calling that we have as followers of Jesus Christ. We are to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord—to worship, to pray, to build up His church, to seek and to save the lost.
And whatever we do in the name of the Lord, according to the word of the Lord, is meaningful and fruitful for the kingdom of God.
When we consider the breadth and the scope and the magnitude and the profound nature of what Paul is talking about, it is no exaggeration to say that he is presenting what is most important for our lives—to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
We are going to spend eternity serving Christ after He returns. But again, eternity starts right now through faith in Him. Why should we suppose that we can delay giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord until after He returns? Doing the work of the Lord begins now, and so we should give ourselves fully to it.
In a way, this verse pretty much summarizes the entire Bible. “Therefore” (because of all that God has done to save us), we should give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because that is why He has saved us. It’s really that simple.
Most of the time, we want God to help us through the challenges and struggles we face in our lives, but those challenges and struggles have nothing to do with the kingdom of God. On the other hand, when we give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, God will most certainly help us through every challenge and struggle we face. That’s God’s economy.
Father, You are the Creator of all things, and You are sovereign over all things. Forgive us for having an attitude that our lives belong to ourselves and not to You. Thank You for Your mercy for when we fall short, and Your word that leads us into Your way. But lead us into Your way with Your mighty right hand. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
