Learning My Work

As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. Colossians 1:9 - The Message

I love my quiet time with the Lord.  One of my favorite things to do is to take a passage in a translation I am very familiar with and then go look it up in The Message Bible.  The simple change of putting the verse into modern English often takes me to a deeper level of understanding.  Today was one of those days.

I get impatient and even frustrated with my walk and relationship with God at times.  In all honesty, sometimes it just feels stagnant and as if there is a large gulf between us.  It isn't that He pulls away, it's that I do.  I don't pull away intentionally but I do let sin or my hurt feelings get in the way between us.  It's as if there is a wall that I can't get through and often it's there because I refuse to acknowledge my sin for what it is.  I've been known to either ignore it or try to justify it.  "Well, Jesus, I forgave her but don't you think she's wrong and I'm right" (Hello Pride)  Times like this require me to go back to the Word and check my attitude and heart condition against what it says.  I "learn more and more how God works" so that I might "learn how to do my work."

Learning a new language is hard.  Learning a new trade is hard.  Learning to think and act like Christ is one of the greatest challenges.  We are fleshy little creatures afterall.  I love the rest of this verse though.  I love the picture of "glory-strength".  Over the long haul of my life here on earth I want that type of strength and dedication.  Don't you find sometimes that emotions over our circumstances make us have the "gritting our teeth" sort of strength instead?  It's as if we say, "Ok, I'll bear through it because I must" instead of having the attitude that says, "Ok Lord.  This is tough but I'm thankful You will get me through.  Help me stay focused on You and not give into my feelings and grumblings." My life here on this blue-green planet may seem like a long haul at times but my mighty God has all of eternity waiting for me.

Abba, on this day give me the courage to live with Your glory-strength.  Remind me of Your divine words spoken today.  Be quick to bring them to mind when the little frustrations of this short life would seek to remove me from Your path.  Pluck my eyes from my head and replace them with Yours as I look at each situation I encounter today.  Let Your words be spoken from these lips and shut my mouth when my fleshy, human nature would seek to take over.  I'm in it with You for the term of my earthly life so that I may be in it with You for all eternity.   Amen.