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This Week’s Devotional Topic
LABOR DAY
Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday.
This is the Labor Day weekend, a good opportunity for us to honor workers, recognizing their contributions to society.
To “work” is to be engaged in physical and/or mental activity in order to achieve a goal or results. And to “labor” means especially hard work, to really exert your powers of body and/or mind, at times with painful or strenuous effort.
In the Bible we find that there is both physical/mental and spiritual work described. We see both the value of labor and the importance of balancing that with rest. We have all heard the phrase describing the issue of being a “workaholic”.
In John we hear Christ instructing the disciples, making it clear that just as some of the work we do is time sensitive, there are some projects more important than others.
John 9:4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
A servant is worthy his hire. It is right that a worker be compensated. Listen to the words of Christ as he sent many disciples out.
Luke 10:1,2,7 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were included in his instructions to them: Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.
We are all to be good stewards of our time, abilities, resources and talent. Consider Christ’s “Parable of the Talents” as it applies to the spiritual as well as physical.
Matthew 25:14-30 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Your spiritual labor is not in vain in Him.
I Corinthians 15:56-58 The sting of death is sin; and the power of sin is the law: but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.
Psalms 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
And in closing, in the words of Jesus:
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
This week’s Scripture:
John 9:4; Luke 10:1,2,7; Matthew 25:14-30; I Corinthians 15:56-58; Psalms 127:1 and Matthew 11:28-30
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