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Listen while you read: "Forth In Thy Name"1 (Lyrics) |
Recently, I have had a need for a computer technician. It has been amazing to watch a young person going through the different phases of fixing my computer, clicking keys to control the manifold systems with understanding and skill, conquering problems with patience and ease, and taking pleasure in work that is not without ups and downs. He knew at age ten about the skills he possessed and the career that he was going to pursue. Clearly written on him was the joy of work as God's blessing.
It caused me to think how everything around us marks our life and our character. Education levels vary and skills develop with age. Some have known early what their goals are. Some of us might be better in a specific trade, while others might be good at many trades. But we all have a calling and a gift for something!
However, King Solomon, in all his glory and riches, discovered that all of this is pointless.
Ecclesiastes 2:17-18 – So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. (NIV)
In other words, all our goals, pleasures, and accomplishments in this life lack meaning and purpose, because they all end in death. Only purposes that originate and find fulfillment outside this life have any meaning, because God is the One whose will gives life its significance.
God gives each one of us gifts and talents to be somebody to His glory and to make a difference in this world that God made for us to dwell in. When we live our lives without a relationship with God, we miss out on knowing His purpose for our lives. It is only when we receive Jesus that we fully gain eternal meaning for our lives.
All who receive Jesus as their Lord and Saviour are blessed not only with salvation but with meaning and purpose for life to the glory of God. He equips us to be skilled to live out His love, serving as His fellow workers for the good of all, being blessed to be a blessing. Everything about Jesus affects our lives: how we think, how we live, and how we die. Jesus is about eternity, and He is eternal. Because of Jesus, we are eternal. That should become clear to us.
Life without God is worthless. Meaning and purpose in relationship to God means likeness to Christ and His grace upon us.
May we all know God's changing power in our lives and in the lives near and dear to us. Jesus came to restore us back to God. He said,
John 10:10b – I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)
Prayer: Our Father in heaven, thank You for Your mighty wisdom to bring good out of all who labour in love to Your glory. May the labourers be filled with love, wisdom, and knowledge, giving all glory to You through Christ Jesus from Whom is our being in this life and the next. Bless Your servants with Your peace, and may Your presence and power lift up all who walk in Your steps, boasting that You are the Lord! May our thankfulness show. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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Thank you Kirsti.
Thanks be to Jesus. Amen.
Well done. Please write again.
Thanks for the good word Kirsti.
I really enjoyed this devotional.
Kirsti – Thank you for this good word today. Yes, life is worthless without Jesus and His love.
God bless you. Praise Him!
Dear Kristi,
Thank you for a meaningful, purposeful, worshipful devotional, a blessing to my soul.
Keep writing.
Dear Kristi,
Thank you for your thoughts for today. Makes me remember what is essential here and now.
Many blessings to you.
Your words “Life without God is worthless. Meaning and purpose in relationship to God means likeness to Christ and His grace upon us. He equips us to be skilled to live out His love, serving as His fellow workers for the good of all, being blessed to be a blessing.” are so true.
As you so basically said, We are not all blessed with the same talents or skills, yet He knows best and has given us what will make us more productive to Him.
A fine message, thank you.
HI Kirsti,
As a school and college teacher for all my working life my greatest fret was for the students who, even after graduation, still had no vision for their lives and took jobs simply for the money. I had long bouts of anguish for students who, if they had some vision or some aim in view, would have spent more time on their course instead of rushing off to some place to make hamburgers to finance their car. The brain power that went by the boards was heartbreaking to me. When I see the sports stadia loaded on Sunday with young people who have no spiritual ambition because the Sunday School as we knew them had died out. I taught through the days of scripture reading and Lord’s prayer before classes to the cancellation thereof and the loss of Students’ Christian Associations..to where even Christian teachers were asked kindly not to discuss Christian topics in the staff lounges. But the Scriptures remain adamant: “Where no vision is the people perish.”
Your devotional dealt with a subject near to my heart.
Blessings.
A great devotional!! I was blessed with the kind of profession you described. I went around taking attendance with a clip board when I was three according to my mother, and announced I was going to be a teacher. I never wavered from that moment on. God gave me so much joy and fun and I could never dream of doing anything else.
He opened many doors for witnessing (it was allowed when I began teaching). I was able to take my students to Sunday School. And the greatest blessing for me was to hear seven of them tell me they had since asked Christ into their hearts as result. This was at a surprise party a group of them had for me many years later. And praise the Lord, I am still in touch with several of them. So you can understand why this devotional really resonated with me. Thanks so much.