There’s Work to Do

“All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the LORD, all the work to be done according to the plan.”  Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the LORD God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.  1Chronicles 28:19-20

I have a great job! Because of the work I do in teaching God’s Word I am also blessed with a lot of study time. I have been very privileged to get to spend time in prayer daily. I truly feel blessed and love what I do but lately something has been bothering me.  Is it too much time?  Is it ever possible to spend too much time with God in prayer and in His Word?

Because this is the work I am called to I don’t think I can spend too much time.  But I worry that I spend more than necessary because I’m not serving God and His people in other ways.  This thinking started after a prayer meeting when I was prompted to pray for the families of the church.  As I listened to others pray for specific health needs I thought about how those things always affect families.  Sometimes the healthy spouse gets discouraged or just exhausted caring for the one who is ill. Sometimes the working father of the ill wife just can’t add the housework to his schedule. Maybe even a meal is just too much for his plate if there are kids and other things to take care of besides his spouse. 

That’s the tip of the iceberg in a congregation. What about the grieving widow or widower? Maybe just some company would be nice for them. How about the overwhelmed young mother? Would a day of babysitting offer some needed relief?  How about the new person to the congregation? A warm greeting on Sunday mornings is wonderful but a step outside of that may be the best way to include them in the church family.

My church is very good with these things but I wonder how often we don’t see them as our personal responsibility.  In Galatians 6:2 Paul tells us that we are to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  Paul seems to be talking about more than prayer here. We are to provide help for each other, a burden may be emotional but it may also include physical needs. Are we waiting for our Pastors or some other ministry leader to call on us and ask for the help or are we responding to the command to do it?  Are the needs we are to fill only within our own congregations?

These days we have many opportunities for Bible Study – I teach some of them (so I am all for knowing our Bibles).  But, we can’t leave it there.  Timothy tells us that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (emphasis mine, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) The study of the scriptures in Bible studies and conferences is good –  unless it’s all we do. It should lead us to do the good works God has called us to do. No Christian is left out of that requirement.

I know I need to be careful with this. Our good works will not get us to heaven and I am in no way trying to say that the good works should be put above the study we do that helps us grow our faith and knowledge of our loving and merciful God. Our works are to be because of our faith and love for God. If we love God we will also serve Him. We need to love God’s people and care for them as He calls us to do – not to earn favor from Him but to show our love for Him.

The book of James is a practical guide to living. He encourages us this way, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” He says the person who reads the word of God but doesn’t act on it is like a man who sees himself in the mirror and then walks away and forgets what he saw. He isn’t motivated to change any flaws he saw in the mirror, he just forgets about them. The Word of God is living and active, it can be an agent of change for us to grow more and more into the image of Christ…if we will do what it says and work and serve others, especially our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

In James 2:12-17 he says this: So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.  For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

There will no mercy at judgment for those who have shown no mercy here!  That alone is enough motivation for me not just to hear that warning but to begin to look for and respond to those opportunities God has for me to serve others.

How about you?  David instructed Solomon in the theme verse to take the plans the Lord has given and go now and do the work.  Shouldn’t we do the same?  There’s something for all of us. And, Jesus instructed His disciples, 

Who in your life could use a little hands on, tender, loving care?