Corona Devo 3217

We love the Lord.  And He calls us to love others...and we want to.  

As a son or daughter of God, He imparts His Holy Spirit into us and we want to help, to serve, to lead, and to love in His Name.  God whispers efforts, initiatives, people...and we go.  And we do.  And these become our good deeds in His Name.  

And...we are (Biblically) supposed to be led, and to do these things.  Simply put, and Biblically put---faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  ~James 2:14:-17  

We (when we know and are led by the Lord) do as a result of our faith.  And we should, and we should do it (whatever "it" is) well.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, (24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  ~Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do....

And so, in God's Name...we do (good deeds)...

We give the hungry a meal, the thirsty a cup, and we visit the imprisoned. 

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 

(37) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? (38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  

(40) “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  ~Matthew 25:35-40 

And (because of Christ and the Holy Spirit), it feels good and fulfilling to do good deeds.  

But...let's be honest.  Don't lie.  Be transparent...  
It is also hard work.
We get tired sometimes.  

It's all good stuff, and even good deeds, but we would be lying if we didn't admit that at times and over-our-lifetime...the hard work and good deeds can tucker us out.   
We need rest.  

And God's Word (the Bible) promises that we will have it.  

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”  ~Revelation 14:13

He's talking about Heaven here.  Eternity.
...There will be worship of the Lord, there will be joys unknown, and (Aaahhhh, Thank You, Lord): there will be rest.

Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work...”  ~Revelation 14:13

It's a glorious verse of Scripture, isn't it?  Life-giving, if we happen to be a bit fatigued from being in His service or in doing good deeds today.  

Stay tuned, Soldier of Christ!  Respite (and reward) will come (God says).  

Even just reading it gives us peace, joy, and spiritual rejuvenation:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”  ~Revelation 14:13

~~~

And...do we know someone that has gone home (died in the Lord)?

Be comforted, Friend.  Those who have served God before us have gone home to Glory already...and they are resting ("for they will rest") from their hard work.  They labor no longer.

And (the Bible says): their good deeds have followed them.  

And even though we are still missing them...the Spirit (says) they are blessed indeed.

These (good deed doers) are our examples!  These are our role-models.  These are our spiritual (good deeds) predecessors and mentors, and they are now resting from their hard work, and their good deeds have followed them!

The Bible gives us peace (and hope) in their memory.

And so, looking forward and also looking back--let's keep it up today.  It's easy to grow weary in the work and good deeds, but let's be encouraged in keeping-with-it today.  

Don't grow weary in the hard work of doing good or in the light burden of following Christ's ways.  Rest is coming! 

But--not quite yet.  
And until then: 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  ~Galatians 6:9

Blessings,

sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Corona Devo 1065

Image
It’s never too late to turn to the Lord.   And--it’s never too late to turn back to the Lord.   Do we GET IT?   King Hezekiah GOT IT.   The people in his area (Israel) had not been following the Lord, and they had fallen away from the (God-ordained) traditions that the Lord had designed to connect His people with Himself,  like going to church (Temple), and like celebrating the festival of Passover.  So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel...inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the  Lord , the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law ( 2 Chronicles 30:5). Hezekiah  invited the people back to church!  But how to get the word out? He  wrote letters of invitation to the people (2 Chronicles 30:1), but letters without delivery are dead messages.  Hezekiah needed to get the letters ... to God's people! At the king’s command, runners were...
Read more

Corona Devo 1063

Image
Ever been around boys (of any age)?  They don't concern themselves with talking about   other  boys...they are not (usually) comparative that way, and would prefer to be competitive instead.  They are often contented with jokes and sounds, rather than defaming other guys or discussing their shortfalls. But...ever been around women ( of any age )?  For some sinful reason, our conversations often seem to p ick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick some more and talk, talk, talk about other women.  We  simmer into a boil as we digress and regress into unbecoming chatter about   other  women.   It's a terrible habit and yet girls in elementary school don't need to be taught how and even elderly church biddies can't quite fully withdraw.  We all still fall to condemning others  from time to time.  We have this sinful draw to make ourselves feel good by chirping back and forth and making someone   else   feel bad. It's na...
Read more

Corona Devo 1064

Image
The earth is the   Lord ’s, and everything in it.   The world and all its people belong to him.   (2)  For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas  and built it on the ocean depths.   ~Psalm 24:1-2 We belong to Him, but also…our world belongs to Him: and  everything in it .   Everything.   Every tree and flower, every person, every pelican, everything. How are we responding to that glorious Truth today?   Can we praise Him today?  Can we acknowledge and absorb (and respond!) to the awesome Truth that we belong to Him :  the Creator of all things, and our Creator?   He laid the earth’s foundation ...and (even)  the earth  knows that it belongs to him ... Do we? Are we choosing to respond to Him today?   The trees do.    Looking out my window as I read these words of God, I saw these words  proven by God as n aked tree-branch arms were raised in praise of their Creat...
Read more