September 7 – God's Faithfulness

        Lamentations 3:21-25 – "Yet this I call to mind, and I therefore have hope: Because of Yahweh's great love, we are not consumed, for his acts of compassion never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.......Yahweh is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who pursues him."

        This has always been a favorite passage of mine, along with 1 John 1:9 which is related. It reminds me that I can start over with God each and every day, knowing that it is his faithfulness to me that is the controlling factor. My faithfulness to him is growing, but negligible, and lacking. God, however, knows that we are only dust, frail humans who fight against the sinful nature within us.

        2 Timothy 2:11-13 is also related and highlights God's faithfulness, even when we are not faithful to him. It is God's nature to be faithful in dispensing his love. That is why we should focus on his great love for us, and live accordingly in pursuing him and the understanding of that great love and faithfulness. Paul's prayer for Christians in Ephesians 3:16-19 is worth repeating: "I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit, in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all believers, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fulness of God."

September 2 – Work Ethic

        Colossians 3:22-24 – ".....obey your earthly masters in everything; do it, not only when they are watching and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and respect for the Master. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if you were working directly for the Master, and not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Master as a reward. It is Christ you are serving."

        Do you want peace on your job? Do you want to reduce the amount of drama? Do you want to increase your chances for a raise? Then simply obey the verses in Colossians. Everything we do should be a reflection of the good things that God is doing in our lives.

        Well, what if I don't like my job? What if my boss is a jerk? What if I can never please my superiors? Firstly, we should take stock of our own behavior and attitude, and adjust it accordingly. We cannot control the actions of others, only that of ourselves. Remember, that it is God who is looking out for us, when we choose to obey him. Galatians 6:7 states that we also reap what we sow.  God will remember all of our actions and repay us accordingly. Do you want a good return? Then, do your positive part up-front. If you give that employer 102%, it will return to you in a positive manner.

        I recently took home an older vacuum cleaner from my workplace. The upright shaft for pushing around the vacuum had become worn and in disrepair, so that one could barely push the machine normally. Someone had duct-taped the two metal adjustable pieces together, thus producing a shoddy, incomplete repair that probably worked in the short-term. I removed the old repair, fixed the metal tubing, cleaned all the parts, then used epoxy to solidify a repair of the shaft – all of this on my own time. I returned the machine to working condition on the job, as a favor to my employer, who was quite happy and a little surprised at my initiative.

        So, even if you are just sweeping a floor, do it to the best of your ability, because God is watching, to bless you. And don't forget Titus 2:10b, "....so that in every way we make the teaching about God our savior, attractive."