Faith

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Labor- From birth to death for the perishable!

The writing challenge words this last month, have evoked special insights that have related differently about spiritual subjects, due to what I have been going through. I haven’t had the time to finish two of them, doors and pride it seems, but will follow through as the Lord allows me the time.

I realize labor evokes physical or spiritual work generally to the majority of Christians and rightly so. But have you ever thought about the fact that we spend the majority of our time on earth laboring for that which is perishable, earthly, and temporary? Often our priorities lean toward our needs of today as we struggle to make ends meet, or to provide for our families daily, all of this while important is just one second away from being of little importance to us.

The last three plus weeks I have face one medical crisis after another daily with my mother who is now under hospice care. In these facilities you see many who have spent their entire life depending more on the temporary perishable things of life. Many are Christians, but with various levels of maturity, most being babes in Christ. The saddest part to me is that many have lived long lives and have no real peace and security in their Christian faith walk.

When we are born into this world, there is labor and pain and generally rejoicing that a child has been born into this temporary world we live in. But there also is labor and pain when one is birthed into eternity as well, and very little rejoicing that their labor on earth is finished. I think leaving should evoke even more rejoicing for the Christian when they have finished their course and the Lord calls them home with Him for eternity.

In Psalms 139; we are told all our days are numbered long before we were ever placed in our mother’s womb. All the seed of every generation was thought of at the creation of Adam, and then the Lord rested. That alone is amazing when you think about how awesome God is.

Like Paul when he stated it is more desirable for him to depart and be with the Lord, but the Lord still needed him on this side of eternity to help the people at the time. God always has a purpose for us if we are willing to follow.

I recently purchased a fellow faith writers book, called Hannah’s Prayer by Ken Gividen, and one example the Lord really highlighted for me. He used the example of a condiment package, like mustard or ketchup, and how we trust that whatever the label says it is will be inside the packet, but until we actually empty it out we can’t be sure that’s what is inside of it really. It is a simple analogy I know but the key point is that while many say they are Christians, when pressure is put on them we can view what actually comes out, whether they have any real faith or hope at all in the Lord Jesus gift to mankind. (Forgive me Ken for such a poor job of sharing your analogy here on your wonderful book, I definitely recommend it)
Anyway I was convicted to pray my own Hannah’s prayer, for God to give me the strength and wisdom to share His love to these hurting people although personally I feel drained physically and emotionally myself. The promise when I am weak, He is strong has certainly been in action in my life this month.

Hannah’s prayer of course was for a son that she might give him to the Lord, a selfless request, my request is to let others see the peace that passes understanding in me that the Lord Jesus offers to all His children. I pray that the Lord will always be able to use me to bring glory and honor to Him in whatever situation He places me in until He calls me home.

So the word labor can cover many subjects, this is just the one the Lord has placed me in for service lately. We all need to labor more for the spiritual, all else is perishable. We may be the only representative of the Lord some people ever get to see, that’s what I want others to see coming out of this earthly temple I’m house in, Jesus. Amen!

Sue Shields 2004
www.sueshields.com

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