Loving Your Work

A few years back, there was this guy, Bob (not his real name), whom I was really interested in. We were friends, and we had a great time together. A mutual friend of ours was getting married in his hometown, so I got to stay at his family's house for the wedding weekend.

One day while there, the family was hanging out together in the family room. I came in and hung out with them for a little while. They entered into a time of prayer for Bob and his ministry. I did that with them, but soon the dad and sister left. It was just me, Bob, and his mom.

The prayer time turned quite intimate as Bob's mom held his hand and prayed, weeping, over her son and all God was doing in his life. Since Bob and I were really just friends, I didn't feel comfortable being there. I got up to leave.

To my surprise, Bob opened his eyes. "Stacey, you can stay if you want," he said.

Wow! That was such a deep honor to me. Why? Because this man that I loved wanted to share something with me that was important to his heart.

Bob and I never ended up dating, but I am left with something precious that I want to pass on to you.

Jesus is like Bob in this story. When God created you, He created you to participate in the deep things of His heart. For instance, maybe you are great with caring for children. He made you with the thought of caring for His children through you! Giving them hugs from Him, and words He wants to speak into their lives!

Maybe you are a sharp business person. God imagined all sorts of systems that would create loving environments in which people can carry out His will, and He put you at the helm!

Or maybe He made you with great beauty. He imagined ways in which His beauty would shine, inviting people into the rest and loveliness of who He is. And He brought you in to do it with Him!

Perhaps you are hospitable and love to have people in your house! God invites the weary and the lost home into His restful, healing courts by inviting them to your house!

So don't ever feel like a slave in any work God's given you. God didn't give you things to do merely so they could get done. He could have done that all by Himself. The Bible says He created good works in advance, "so that you may walk in them." He wanted you to take part in something precious to Him, so He sliced off a piece and gave you ownership! Now instead of His saying, "This is mine," He says, "This is ours!"