“WORK HEARTILY!”

Colossians 3:23-24                                                   (ESV)

“23 Whatever you do, “WORK HEARTILY”, as for the LORD and not for men,

24 knowing that from the LORD you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the LORD CHRIST.”

Have you ever had one of those days where you just didn’t want to put forth the effort to make a difference in your world?  Maybe you didn’t feel well, or you may have even been disgruntled with your surroundings? It seemed like it took more effort to do everything, like a challenge was presented at every turn?  Nothing appeared to be falling into place with fluidity.  

The Apostle Paul was more than likely in his first imprisonment in Rome when he penned his letter to the church of Colossae.  Now regardless of what some people think, I have never experienced being imprisoned and cannot only suppose how it might feel.  Not being able to come and go as one pleases, to eat when they are hungry, do whatever it is that we want has to be troubling, if not excruciating.  But Paul writes from prison that we should “WORK HEARTILY”, knowing that THE LORD will deliver an inheritance as your reward, IN HIS TIMING!  

We are serving the LORD CHRIST, not HIM serving us!  Do we try to make everything about our good, about how it can benefit us?  Does or service to CHRIST depend on our health, or bank account, or our ability to make things happen within our strength and ability?  When we are dependent upon HIM, admitting that our very breath comes from HIM (Isaiah 42:5) is recognized as being HIS on loan from our CREATOR!  

Since we are serving the LORD CHRIST, it should come as a joy to us to “WORK HEARTILY” as we sojourn through this wilderness.  We could serve HIM in a prison like Paul?  Or we could serve HIM in a hospital?  Or we could be free from prison or the hospital and be serving the LORD CHRIST by “WORKING HEARTILY” in the task we are assigned, wherever that may be???