July 24

Be Steadfast

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58

It is our faith in the gospel which will keep us steadfast, immovable, fixed, and unwavering. No one or nothing will be able to move us from the course set before us and our service to the Master. The fruitage of a faith that is vital is works; here Paul says we will be abounding in the work of the Lord. The work of the Lord consists of anything that we find that He has placed in our hands. It could be as simple as caring for our families or it might be imparting the gospel to those who have never before heard of Jesus. Whatever the Lord has placed in your life, no matter how mundane, remember that your toil is not in vain if done unto the Lord. What a comfort this is to each of us! Every aspect of our lives is meant to be spent in service to Him! When we find ourselves surrounded by a pile of dirty dishes and a mountain of laundry, we can make the choice to do these things as unto the Lord. With the joy of the Lord in our hearts and praise on our lips, what a witness we will be to our families and our neighbors! When we go off to the office with the joy of the Lord in our hearts and do our jobs to His glory and honor, we will stand out from the rest of the world, thus shining our lights before men. When we live our lives in such a way that every moment of every day is spent in serving the Lord, we can be assured that we will remain steadfast and immovable, for we are living out the very gospel that we have taken by faith into our hearts.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gospel and what it has meant in our lives. May we, like Paul, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in your work. Help us to remember that your work is not always something grand, but it is doing with our might what you have placed in our hands. Help us to do all things, even the most mundane tasks, to your glory and honor. May we live our lives in such a way that we will draw others to you. Let our lives be filled with the joy of service to you. We praise you for your promise that all our work and toil will never be in vain. May it be a sweet smelling offering to you, our Beloved Father! Amen.