Christians, we often take for granted all the work that goes into being a Christ Follower. We get saved and sometimes we think that is the end of the journey. It is actually the beginning of a lifelong journey and a full-time position. We do not get any time off from being a Christian. Most people, if you ask them “what they do” they have an average 40 hour/week job, where they perform a task, but after 5 pm they get to go do something else and be someone else.
As Christians, we need to be punched in, on the clock, all the time. We should be ready to minister, pray, serve, give a kind word, encourage someone, and foster the fruits of the spirit. It sounds like a lot of work and IT IS, but we have been given a great resource: the Holy Spirit. We can ask advice, lean on, receive encouragement, and trust Him to help us stay on task and be making great progress on our journey.
There are many Christians who think that they can take time off, not be on the clock. They choose to sin and live like the world and then they punch in for an hour and a half Sunday morning and believe that they are doing just fine. I tell you what, they do not risk the fires of hell, if they are truly saved, but they are setting a horrible example of what it means to be a true Christian, and they are missing out on an incredible payday.
As a Christian, who lived for 5 years backslidden in college, I speak from experience in this area. I had grown up in church, got saved, and punched out for my college years. All the while I was claiming the benefits of salvation to my lost friends, while committing the same sins they did, side by side. I was truly a HORRIBLE example of what it means to live for God. I had no fruit during those years, and I now realize how much time I wasted being “off the clock” for God.
People do all kinds of work, have all kinds of positions where they earn finances. They use those resources to buy things in this world that eventually get old, wear out or break down. Then they end up donating, selling, or throwing away these items. Even the really nice things they accumulate and take care of, they only get to keep them for their quick lifetime and then when they are dead and gone: someone else gets it. Living just for the things of this world could be depressing, knowing that it is just chasing after the wind. We are assured in the Word that all our hours of being on the clock for God, are NOT in vain.
Jesus tells us that we will be rewarded for something as small as a glass of water given with the right heart. If you know that your worldly boss is faithful about paying you for every single hour that you work, how much more can we trust in God to reward us for every single hour, moment, day, week, month and year that we are faithfully clocked in for the Kingdom of God?
Living a righteous life and being a shining example for Christ in the world is our desire. The hours are long, the tasks can be challenging, but we can look forward to a huge payday coming, when we will receive rewards from God. Eternal rewards that are perfect (will never deteriorate) and will last forever, as we will, in eternity, with Him. I pray for God to give us strength for the work ahead, joy for the opportunity to serve, faith to receive the things unseen, and faithfulness to remain “clocked in” forever, in Jesus name, Amen.
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deed. Matthew 16:27 (NASB)
His master said to him, well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your Master enjoys. Matthew 25:21 (AMP)
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. I Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2017
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