“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24

As we observe Labor Day and mark the unofficial end of a very strange summer, it’s helpful to remember for Whom we actually work. It’s not our boss. It’s not ourselves. It’s not our shareholders or CEO. It’s the Living God of the Universe! For this reason, there is dignity, significance, and purpose in doing every job of every kind as well as we possibly can!

As teachers and students prepare for online learning, it’s helpful to remember that whatever the inadequacies, deficiencies, and defects of this new model, we still serve and glorify God by investing our best efforts in the task that lies before us.

Whenever we’re tempted to give up or “phone it in”, let us remember Who the true judge of our efforts is and the ultimate reward we who are in Christ will receive from Him. Let us run with renewed energy the race that lies before us all of our days, yearning to hear that glorious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

“You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy.
Only he should be feared;
only he should be held in awe.”
– Isaiah 8:13

At a time when we’re surrounded by so many things that could fill us with overwhelming, paralyzing fear, it’s helpful to remember that God is greater than all of these things!

Likewise, there’s so much anger and anxiety in society right now and the best cure for all of it is to step back and let ourselves be filled with the awesome person, presence, and majesty of the Lord God.

We must not elevate earthly things, concerns, or even prominent human leaders higher in our minds than is appropriate. Only God is holy!

We must not elevate the threats we face, serious as they are, higher than is appropriate in our imaginations. Let us reserve our awe, respect, honor, and fear for the Almighty. Let us draw strength from the knowledge that He created us, He loves us, He hears our prayers, He gave His unique Son Jesus as a sacrifice for us, He redeems us by grace through faith in Jesus, He embraces us, He adopts us, He forgives us, He comforts us, and He is always present with everyone who is in Christ.

“For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.” – 2 Corinthians 7:8-9

If the only messages you take away from the Bible about yourself are positive, encouraging, and affirming about what you think, say, and do, you need to read more carefully!!!

The Word of God is clear – God loves us and gave His only Son to redeem us. All who trust in Christ are adopted and made new in Him. However, God calls us to constantly change to become ever more like Jesus.

God and His Word regularly confront us with the residual sin in our hearts, minds, thoughts, words, and actions. He reveals the way our attitudes, priorities, and actions stray from God’s heart and will. His Word should regularly convict us of the many ways we sin and fall short of God’s glory. The purpose of all this isn’t to crush us, but to lift us up by transforming us. God’s Word and the loving correction and rebuke delivered by His people should regularly wound us in order to heal us. These wounds bring about godly grief, sorrow, and holy repentance. These are God’s holy surgeries and medications for the sin sickness that remains within us. We should rejoice in this, not avoid it. If we seldom experience it, then we need to change our approach to reading and studying God’s Word and fellowshipping with His people!

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20

If you’re a Christian, THIS is who you are: an ambassador for Christ, placed where God has placed you (home, school, work, family, friends, community, nation) to represent Jesus and relay His message to be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

If you’re a Christian, then you are NOT an ambassador for your earthly nation. Of course you may love your nation, but your true citizenship is in Heaven. You represent the Kingdom of God and must conduct yourself accordingly at all times and in all places. There is never a time and place you aren’t representing God’s Kingdom!

If you’re a Christian, then you are NOT an ambassador for your political party. Of course you may have a preferred party, but Christ transcends earthly parties. You represent the One True King. He has positions on every political topic and there is no single party on earth that accurately upholds all of those positions in both action and attitude.

If you’re a Christian, then you are NOT an ambassador for your preferred philosophy or ideology. We don’t get to choose our message or “improve” the one we’ve been given. We relay the Gospel of Jesus Christ and teach the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

You are a royal ambassador. This is a sacred trust. Fulfill this responsibility well and NEVER forget Who you represent at all times!

“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” – 2 Corinthians 5:1

Good news: this life, this world, this body is not all there is!!! The tent that Paul speaks of in this verse is your body. Your body may be healthy or sick, young or old, comfortable or aching. Whatever else it is, it is mortal. It will die one day – perhaps sooner, perhaps later.

However, for all who are in Christ, who have put their faith in Him, a greater, more glorious, perfect, and immortal body awaits! This body ages, aches, and groans. That body does not. That body enjoys eternal fellowship with Christ. As we process the seemingly endless stream of bad news each day, we must remember that none of it threatens our eternal home, life, or body if we are in Christ. Our good news triumphs over all the bad news of the world.

Though it’s very hard for us – who are so very present in this moment – to process, this year and this life are but a blink of an eye compared to the endless sweep of glorious eternity that lies before us. This is the hope that sustains us in every difficult season and this is the hope we must share with those who lack hope today.