Finding God in the every day

Week 4 Day 6

Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

            In my home church we are in a long-term study of the question “What is love?”  based upon the famous “love chapter” in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian Church (I Corinthians 13). Author  C.S. Lewis wrote an excellent book entitled The Four Loves in which he explains the nuances and implications of the four Greek words which describe what the English language has rendered into one wholly inadequate word.

It is not my intention to dwell on that idea today. It does, however,  bear on what as I reflect upon the implications of what is called `agape (agape), which is to say an all -encompassing, self- sacrificing love which transcends the desires and fears of the body and mind. Jesus, of course being our supreme example and model of that love, on the meaning of work.

             I would also ask that you contemplate for a moment that there are also what I would call four kinds of labor which are a part of our life before our God. First there is necessarily physical labor  which encompasses those thing we do to “keep body and soul together” A job, housework, physical training and exercise, caring for the blessings of home and family etc.

            Second, there is in most regardless of how they are enabled a meditative work which assesses and responds to the kinds of experiences and conditions in which they exist and renders judgements and actions according to “what they think”.

            Third, there is in the Christian life what is probably the most important and powerful labor, and that is the labor of prayer. James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. That I believe is enough said about that.

            Fourth, and finally there is the labor of being in relationship with other people. (Yo might call that Church) I believe that if prayer is at the center of the wheel, then all of the other labors that we undertake are like spokes radiating out from the hub of prayer. Think for a moment how prayer may be the one thing that makes all of our other efforts in life if not worth-while, at least endurable.