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LABOUR AND TRAVAIL
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21
1 Thessalonians 2:9

Acts 20:33-35

 

“…our labour and travail:

for labouring night and day…”

 

LABOUR AND TRAVAIL
 
In our modern society, we often value convenience and speed. We want everything to be fast, good and easy. We are constantly looking for short cuts and quick fixes to achieve instant gratification. However, there is also the common saying, “There are no shortcuts to success.” This is especially true in the work of the Lord. As we serve the Lord, we must not be looking for shortcuts or loopholes, or for ways to skive. Yes, it is important to be efficient and work smart, but we must not try to get away with doing less or to find creative ways to slack.
 
Paul was given a mandate to preach the Gospel as a minister of Christ. To that end, he laboured hard, doing whatever it took to enlarge the kingdom of God. At times, that meant that he would have to take on work to earn money to support himself and his co-labourers in the ministry. He had no qualms getting his hands dirty, working as a tentmaker. He “ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me” (Acts 20:34). He did so because he did not want to be “chargeable unto any of you,” meaning to say he did not require money from them, but was self-sufficient while he was there. He did not want anyone to have the wrong idea about them, to have grounds to accuse them of being greedy, to say that they were preaching the Gospel only for monetary gain. His desire was that the Gospel be not hindered in any way, and therefore, he was willing to labour and travail night and day so that he could freely preach the Gospel to them.
 
Witnessing for the Lord is hard work. It requires time, dedication and sacrifice. A large part of it is also the testimony that we present to the unbelieving world around us. Like Paul, we must be prepared to do whatever it takes in order that those around us can come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether it is in our homes, our work places, our classrooms or wherever God has called us to, we must work hard, for the glory of God and the testimony of our Lord Jesus.
 
THOUGHT: Jesus did not die on the cross to save me, just so that I can cruise through life in indolence and idleness.
PRAYER: Father, may Thou grant me the conviction of heart to labour more abundantly for Thee.

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