Never Useless – November 14, 2008

Never Useless

1 Corinthians 15:58

Jim Stephens

11-14-08

 

Scripture:

 

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.  (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

Every year I’m glad to read chapters 15 and 16 of 1 Corinthians.  Paul interspersed his instruction about the certainty of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our resurrection to eternal life with comments about his hard work, the trials and challenges he faced, and the cost of his own discipleship.  It’s like he was reminding himself as well as the Corinthians that it’s really worth it.

 

Application:

 

I need to be reminded by Paul and I need to remind myself that nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless.

 

In vocational ministry, there is management and detail and meetings and budgets and sometimes it’s hard for someone like me to remember that nothing I do for the Lord is useless – including meetings that seem to burn time that could have been used to do something more meaningful.

 

I need to remember that when I invest time and energy and heart in something for the Lord and then it gets sidelined or changed beyond recognition that nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless.

 

I need to remember that when I pour my time and love and advice into someone and then they make choices that apparently erase any benefit from my investment that nothing I do for the Lord is ever useless.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, Today I will approach every task and each detail of management and each interaction with another person as something I am doing for you, Lord.  I will work enthusiastically because I know that whatever the outcome, nothing I do for you is ever useless.  Amen.