Thursday Reflection

June 4, 2020

Fight in the name of the Lord

David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts.” 1 Samuel 17:45

The story of David and Goliath is one of the popular stories in the bible, often told to children at Sunday School. The story is told of the Philistine army going to war against Israelite army. The Philistines would send out a champion named Goliath who stood over 9 ft tall. Goliath would taunt the Israelites to send out a champion to fight him. However, the entire Israelite army was afraid.

David’s father, Jesse, sent David to bring food for his brothers who were a part of the Israelite army. When David saw Goliath and that no one was willing to fight, he decided to fight him. David went out to face Goliath, but Goliath was disdain that they sent a little boy to fight him. He then threatened and cursed David, “The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.” But David responded, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts.”

Friends as we move pass the children view of this text to a deeper understanding we must realize that the enemy is real. In this text Goliath and the Philistines were the enemies, but today Satan is the enemy we fight. We must understand the purpose of the enemy. Goliath came with sword, spear and javelin, which indicated his purpose and intentions. Goliath came to kill! Similarly the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. John 10:10 and the enemy prowls around seeking who to devour. 1 Peter 5:8.

I also want to note only God can defeat the enemy. For forty days Goliath presented himself, but no one from the Israelite army went out to face him. They were all afraid of the enemy. Why were they afraid of the enemy? They were afraid, because they were trusting and relying on their own strength. The truth is on our own we are weak against the enemy, but… Ah yes! There is a but… But those who rely on the Lord WILL overcome the enemy. Those who fight in the name of the Lord will overcome the wiles of Satan.
How do we overcome? For David it was a stone and a slingshot, but for us it is by prayer, fasting and confidence in the Lord. That is how we overcome.

Friends the enemy is real. He comes to kill, but those who fight in the name of the Lord will overcome.

Keep fighting, because Greater is God who is inside you than Satan who is in the world.

Blessings!

Christopher Euphfa

Wednesday Reflection, June 3, 2020

God Sees and He Hears

Greetings friends. Today’s reflection takes us back to a time in David’s life when he had to run for his life. He lived in a cave seeking to escape death and the pursuit of the enemy.

In an effort to escape Saul’s clutches. David sought refuge from the King of Gath but then the servants of the king recognized him and so he then needed another way of escape. David pretended to be insane. He pounded his head on the city gate and foamed at his mouth and spat upon himself.

Insanity was his defense and that deterred the phillistines because they would not touch an insane person. David then fled to a cave where he was joined by others.

It is there that he wrote psalm 34. He calls others to join with him in magnifying the Lord. He then begins to testify of his deliverance and further encourages others to share their testimony as well.

My friends, much can be said about David and his life. So many lessons can be drawn from all this but what of your life? And what of mine?

In today’s watchword we are reminded that, ‘the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15

What a time it has been! A time of confusion, doubt, fear, death, wars and rumours of war. Some of us have literally had to lock away or remove ourselves from certain people or some scenes. So much is happening in our context and the world all over. I urge you to keep your eyes on Jesus!

Only those whose hope is firmly planted in Jesus Christ may be able to withstand in the evil day. So much is happening around us, attempting to drive us crazy or give a cause to plead insanity but hear the word of the Lord for He is ever watchful and mindful of His sheep.

Be encouraged today, God who pardoned and delivered David is still available to each of us, His grace is sufficient for all. Casting all your cares on Him, today’s new testament text in Matthew 7:7 stands as a reminder, “Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”

Whatever it is you need today, be it strength, grace, endurance, faith, may you receive in Jesus name.

Amen

Kerone Lamoth

Tuesday Reflection – June 02, 2020
Don’t Judge Me, Pray With Me

Remember Hannah and Elkanah? Hannah was the unhappy wife who tried unsuccessfully to have a child for Elkanah, her husband. She constantly prayed for a child. On one visit to Shiloah to sacrifice, she goes aside to pray. As she prayed in anguish Eli, the High Priest, mistakes her emotion for drunkenness. His disdain soon turns to remorse however when he learns her story and in response, he joins her in praying that God would grant the desire of her heart. Hannah became pregnant and later gave birth to her son, Samuel. As Hannah rejoiced in the birth and dedication of her son, she praises God in what we have come to know today as Hannah’s Prayer. Today’s watchword is the beginning of that prayer, a statement that reflects the joy of Hannah’s heart. My heart exults in the Lord. 1 Samuel 2: 1.
As we reflect on Hannah’s story during what is happening today, I share with you some thoughts.

Firstly, the sense in which we understand prayer today does not fully reflect what Hannah did. Her prayer was more of a testimony or song of praise. She did not make a request of God for anything. What she did was thank God for the past, a past which for her had been filled with unhappiness and deep sorrow. Next, she expressed hope for the future, a hope based on what God had done for her in the past. Her present situation was that she was at the place of worship and she had given up her son, her only child, to the Lord, as she had pledged to do. What she was losing would never surpass what she knew her God would do for her in the future. Had he not proved Himself to her through the birth of her son? So Hannah sang her prayer, her praise, to her God. We should never be afraid to praise God for his blessings are unlimited.

Secondly, we find in the text, a statement of the condition of Hannah’s heart. He heart was rejoicing. She had endured a lot. She had been mocked, ridiculed, abused, and tormented. Her life before pregnancy had been a very unhappy one. Her husband had tried to make he happy, and those looking on might have felt she had all she needed so she should be happy, but in the depth of her heart her life had been unfulfilled. Society had judged her as being less than, she had been called demeaning names. In the temple where she should have found refuge, she was judged as being drunk and mocking God. We live in a society that often judges us rather than try to know us, to understand our situations. It wasn’t until Eli spoke to her that he shifted from judging her to praying with her. How often have we been guilty of judging people from a distance based on their looks, the way they sounded or something else about them, until we got to know them and understood their situation? We should not judge people. James 4: 12 challenges us: Who are you to judge another? As Christians we should pray with and for others. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.Gal 6: 2. Instead of judging, let us pray together.

Thirdly, Hannah’s joy and prayer of rejoicing was possible because Eli shifted from being an observer, judging and commenting erroneously from a distance, to becoming involved in the situation. As we watch the unfolding of demonstrations resulting from the senseless murder of George Floyd at the hands of those sworn to protect him, it is interesting to hear the comments of those who, like Eli, would accuse him of doing something that brough on his demise. Add to that those who incite violence against demonstrators. It’s also interesting to hear the deafening silence of those whose voices can make a great difference, those who have the power and responsibility to formulate and enforce the legislation to bring about the needed changes. 200 years ago, speaking of the sin of political apathy, Edmund Burk said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This remains true today, for while good people do nothing, evil people continue to spread their evil throughout society. How many more will have to suffer, how many more will have to die before evil is defeated, before rejoicing can burst forth, and praise lifted up? When will we move from a place of judgement to a place of prayerful rejoicing? Until then, until we are known more and judged less can we do anything other than ‘get up, stand up, stand up for your rights. Don’t give up the fight!’ May we all live to see a society where God’s peace reigns, a society that prays with us more than it judges us. Amen

Bevon White

Monday Reflection – June 01, 2020
None Other Like God

Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one. Isaiah 44:8  

It’s hard to read today’s Watchword without hearing God’s declarations in the preceding two verses: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be.” (vss. 6-7).

In these verses the prophet focuses on God’s being. Who is this God in a world filled with so many possible objects of worship, so many other gods? Here we see the prophet’s own witness of the sovereignty of God, as also God’s self-revelation. God is not playing second fiddle in the cosmic orchestra; rather, God is introduced as both first chair and conductor, the one and only. He is King, Redeemer, and Lord of hosts. God declares, “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no other god”. There is no other viable object of worship. There is no other source of life. There is no other King. There is no other Redeemer. There is no other Lord of hosts.

God challenges all around – Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be. Of course, no one dares to rise up; no one – god or human – answers God’s questions. Into this silence, God proclaims, “Do not fear or be afraid.” Silence in the face of God’s questions is a great thing because it directs the witnesses back toward the living God, besides whom there is no other.

The world in which we live is overcrowded with objects and individuals demanding our devotion. These inspire fear – fear of death, inadequacy, alienation, being in control, being out of control. These fears demand devotion. With this reality, God directs our attention and our devotion away from these empty things and pursuits back towards him, the Saviour and source of life. We must pay attention to how we spend our lives, what consumes us and what consumes our time. Such is a clear indication of where our focus and attention is and ultimately, who is our god. God, who is the first and the last, desires to arrest our fears and give us a fresh vision of a great future. Jesus cemented this when he declared in Revelation 1:17, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hell.” Jesus Christ – King, Redeemer, and Lord of hosts – conquered death and hell and eradicated all fear.

May we yield ourselves to the sovereignty of God and may he reign in our hearts and lives.

Jermaine Gibson 

Saturday Reflection – 30 May 2020

“For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday and is known in many circles as the birthday of the Church Universal. From that upper room experience, God having poured out of his spirit, upon the disciples there, they were now filled, united and empowered to fulfil the commission that was given to them by the Lord Jesus.

Our legitimacy and focus as a church has often been called into question, with calls from society for the church to cry out against moral turpitudes and other injustices and be the voice of reason, goodwill and the change in our society. In that light, we are reminded that we are made legitimate, true and sincere, with all power and authority by the empowering and leading of the Holy Spirit.

Paul, as he writes today’s doctrinal text, describes the presence of the true believer who is sent and engaging the Holy Spirit in ministry as that of an aroma that fills the atmosphere wherever they are. Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (MSG) says “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.” That friends, and is our legitimacy, and it only comes through the power of God, brought on by the Holy Spirit and Paul asks the question saying “This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on?”

We who believe, have been commissioned and empowered to the spread the gospel-seed to just about anyone and everyone that we engage with and even then beyond our borders. It is not about us, but God’s power at work in our lives. Friends, we are unable to legitimize ourselves and no matter the passion or zeal, the wherewithal and exuberance that we display, if we are not lead by the Holy Spirit, it is for nought and in vain. Let us then lean on the Holy Spirit, to give us the power, to fall afresh, to transform us, and begin that good work, in our lives. Only then will we be legitimized and competent to take this mission on. For “God does not call the qualified, he qualifies the called.”

Brothers and sisters, Paul reminds us, the church, that we are not peddlers or vendors who are trying to sell a product to potential customers. But having understood and experience the grace and transforming work of God, who have now been called, commissioned and empowered, and fully understanding the weight of his calling, we go, under his leading and direction, to whatever door he will open for us, to tell somebody about the Lord Jesus that they too might believe. It is the Spirit of God who convicts the heart, we are just the vessel through which the message is shared and that is why it is important, that we are led and empowered by the Holy Spirit and also that we decrease, that self is slain, so that the Holy Spirit can increase and take over, and challenge their hearts. Even so, our labour in the vineyard, is led and empowered by God and to the glory of God.

Until next week, We, who rejoice to know Thee/Renew before Thy throne/The solemn pledge we owe Thee/To go and make Thee known. (F. Houghton, 1931) May this Pentecostal experience awaken in us a revival, that we will make our calling and election sure. May the Holy Spirit fill, unite and empower us that we may like a fragrance that is smelled and known by all, be the voice and the difference that by our sincerity and authority, others may be led into the kingdom of God. Amen.

Dominic J. Blair

Thursday Reflection – May 28, 2020

Jesus is here to help

The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” John 5:7-8

Thirty-Eight years is a long time to be ill. I can imagine being ill for so long comes with many challenges both physically and mentally. This man was paralyzed and was positioned in one of the porches located at the pool of Bethesda. There were five porches there and many sick individuals laid in them. Why? It was believed that the pool had healing components whenever it was stirred. But it seem that the healing component was limited to the first person who entered the pool after it was stirred.

Jesus went by the Pool of Bethesda, where many sick people were. He saw the paralytic man who was ill for thirty-eight years and asked if he wanted to be made well. Our text for reflection is the man’s response. There are a few thoughts I want to share with us today as we examine the sick man’s response.

1.       He was hopeless

The response by the sick man showed the hopelessness of his situation. There was no one to help him get to the pool, which had the healing component. He was paralyzed so he couldn’t walk over to the pool and by the time he started making his way to the pool when it was stirred, someone would reach the pool before he did. Furthermore, there was no one to help him. By all indications he was alone. For thirty-eight years he has been struggling with this illness. The text doesn’t tell us if he had friends before and they left or died. What it does tell us is that there was no one, not even a Good Samaritan to help him get into the pool, when it was stirred. Let me paint the picture. There was no set time when the pool was be stirred, it happened randomly. So there was no one there to wait with him until the pool was stirred and then get him to the pool before the other sick people there. So he poured out to Jesus the hopelessness of his situation.

2.       He did not know Jesus

The paralytic man did not know who was speaking to him. He did not know that Jesus, the Miracle Worker, was speaking to him and asking him if he wants to be made well. He was clueless. I believe if he knew it was Jesus or knew who Jesus was, his response would have been different. Instead of focusing on the hopelessness of the situation, He would have been filled with hope, just at the sight of Jesus. Also, because he did not know it was Jesus, he thought Jesus was talking about the pool. In this man’s eyes this was the only way he could be made well. He thought it was just an ordinary man talking to him. But Jesus is no ordinary man. He is the savior of the world. He is a healer, miracle worker, teacher, and friend. Jesus was offering this man something that he thought was impossible. Jesus healed the man and offered him something more. In verse 14, when Jesus saw the man again he said to the man, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Jesus had also forgiven the man of his sins. He offered him the gift of salvation. Did he accept it? We do not know.

Application

There are many people in the world that have been ill for years. For the man in this text he was paralyzed and without friends to help. For many other people their illness ranges from abusive relationships, bankruptcy, emotional pain, terminal illness, paralysis, fear etc. For many of us we have been going through these challenges for months, years, decades without any form of help. For some they have no one to help them and have become hopeless. But there is a man called Jesus who wants to make you well. He wants to offer you something that you did not think was possible. He doesn’t only want to address your physical needs, but also your spiritual needs. Recognize him today! He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”  

Jesus is here to help

Shalom

Christopher Euphfa 

Wednesday Reflection, May 27, 2020

It’s all in the Plan!

Psalm 138 is a rather short poem/psalm however, no one can say that it is abrupt or that it was not fine tuned. We see David declaring his praises, giving reason for his praises, declaring future praise sessions and then his unwavering faith in the Lords plan for his life.

Imagine feeling like a misfit, unwanted, unappreciated, caught up in a whirlwind of struggles and temptation and feeling as if this place, this world, this body, this family, this church, these friends, this job, is just not for you. Hard pressed on every side with no way of escape in sight.

Things may not be looking all bright for many but keep your praise, continue to exercise your faith. God has a plan! Even before the beginning of time. Long before your very conception and even now. It still stands!

David was a man who went through many different stages throughout his life. Scripture tells us, he remains a very well decorated character. Similarly, you and I have gone through or experienced different stages in our lives and lived to share our testimonies.

A look at David’s life reminds us as believers that we are all here for a purpose. God planned for you and I to be here today, in this moment. He included us in His divine plan for His family.

In today’s watchword, Psalm 138:8a, “the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me”. David had the right attitude of and for praise which is why he was able to be so bold in asserting this fact.

Brothers and sisters, as children of God, we each have a responsibility to represent our Father. This life with all its cares may burden us down but that does not negate the fact that God’s will must be done.

Be reminded, be encouraged, for there is no life happening or experience that can outweigh the love of God.

Paul wrote, : I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. Phil 1:6

Until next week, I leave you with a reminder from Charles Spurgeon, “adversaries may be many, and malicious and mighty, but our glorious Defender has only to stretch out His arm and their armies vanish.”

Amen

Kerone Lamoth

Tuesday Reflection – May 26, 2020
The Wise Seek God

Two weeks ago, I spoke about godly wisdom. The idea was that we should always pray for a spirit of wisdom to guide us in our everyday endeavors. Wisdom does not originate with us, it is a gift of God. Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom. Wisdom, when received, should be employed in ways that please God and draw us closer to God,. Today’s watchword from Psalm 14: 2 supports this. The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.

Contrasted to this verse is the first verse of Psalm 14 which states: The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. While the fool rejects the knowledge and experience of the existence of God, the wise will seek after God, even through uncertainty. What brought creation to this point though? What brought us to the point where the created can reject the existence of the creator. The answer is simple and yet complex. Sin! Since the fall in Eden, humanity has constantly existed in sin. “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecc 7: 20. We all are born with the propensity to be lost in a life of ungodliness, of sinfulness. This is the reality of life in this earthly realm. No matter how hard we try we will constantly fall to sin. Sin is defined as ‘missing the mark’ (literal translation from the Greek ‘hamartia’). The best of us constantly fall short of God’s standard for life, God’s laws. We ‘miss the mark’. God looks to find a righteous human being but alas there is none: ‘For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God’. Rom 3: 23. Is there no hope for us? Are we all doomed to be lost forever? A complete reading of Psalm 4 has David acknowledging God’s protection of the righteous, God being the refuge of the disparaged, and God sending salvation for His people. While some may have rebelled and gone on to live godless lives, those who pursue righteousness will have God on their side. Indeed, those who seek the Lord will find him.

What make the difference in all this? The text says ‘the Lord looks’. Picture the Prodigal Son who decided to return home to beg his father’s forgiveness and employment as a servant. Here’s what I love about this parable. While the son was still a far way off, his father saw him and ran to meet him. It tells me that this father was always on the lookout for his son even though that same son had rejected his ways and wandered off. God looks out for us in the same way, and even when we stray, he offers us a way back to him. This is grace. John Stott describes grace as ‘love that cares and stoops and rescues.’ Grace is mercy. In a world which is fast embracing the rule of karma, grace stands as its opposite. Karma give back what we deserve, a payback. Grace is rendering to us what we do not deserve. Romans 5: 20 reminds us, where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. Grace is about God and not about us. God looks, and those who wisely seek Him are quickly identified and covered by His grace. Through grace, God cares, stoops and rescues us from sin. I am humbled by the thought that the only difference between the wise and the fool, the one who seeks God and the one who rejects God, is God’s grace. Friends, this Grace is available to all but receivable only by those who seek God. The foolish who reject God will be eternally rejected in the soon coming judgement. I pray that we all will in wisdom constantly seek God so as to be found by Him. Amen.

Bevon White

Monday Reflection – May 25, 2020
Morning Prayers

O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch. Psalm 5:3

Charles Hummel wrote that many people often wish for many more hours in a day, so they could get more done. However, if we had it, we would soon be filling it up with more of the things that we are already squandering our present 24-hour day! His solution? Do what Jesus did, and get up and spend time with the Heavenly Father to begin the day. Get his direction and priorities for the day, and then follow that. The whole plan hinges on getting up and spending time with God first thing in the morning.

In today’s Watchword, David says, “In the morning … in the morning …”. One of the ways the Hebrews emphasize something is by repeating it. So David repeats “in the morning” showing the emphasis that he puts on it. It was in the morning that his prayer would rise up to God. His first duty of the day was going to be to let God hear his voice in prayer. Jesus had this pattern, for in Mark 1:35 it says, “And in the early morning, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and departed to a lonely place and was praying there.” This was his alone time with his father for he made it a priority to get up early and seek God.

In this verse, we hear David’s commitment to prayer; it is a very determined statement. He pleads his case to God. Another version says, “I will order my prayer to you”. This rendering is so beautiful because it conveys the sense or arranging or setting in order. It was used for the priests who were commanded to arrange the pieces of the sacrifice on the altar. This gives us the picture of a prayer that is not just a series of random thoughts, but which has structure and organization. There is also a high note of expectation in this verse for David talks about praying and watching, eagerly watching. It conveys the sense of looking up. For the Psalmist, he is going to pray then look up and watch and see what God will do in response to his prayer. Our prayers must be prayers of faith if they are going to please God as we wait expectantly on God’s response. The other thing too is that we pray but rush off without waiting on God’s response, yet we say prayer is communication with God. So many times our prayers have become a monologue where we talk to God and then disappear from the conversation. Significantly, our prayers should come from a relationship with God so that it is not just saying prayers but talking with the Lord with whom we have a personal relationship.

I am not here saying that we can and must only pray in the morning for we should pray without ceasing. Today’s New Testament text in Ephesians 6:18 says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication…” What I believe is that it is important to begin our day by spending at least some time with God in his word and prayer. We should at least do something in the morning to begin our day with the Lord, because it affects the rest of our day. Stay in tune with the Lord and wait expectantly on him.

Jermaine Gibson

Saturday Reflection – 23 May 2020

“Serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.” Colossians 3:24-25

As we consider Labour Day, let us be reminded of the words of the Lord Jesus in St. Matthew 25:40, 45 (MSG) “Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me…He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.”

Since the quarantine and isolation effects of COVID-19 have kept us at home, we may not have even realized that we are approaching another public holiday. Today is Labour Day (although it will be celebrated on Monday) and it is no coincidence that the text is a reminder that as the now people of God, we are called to serve and even as we labour in our jobs and studies, in the various ministries that we engage in, that as we serve others even so we serve the Lord Christ.

Paul, the writer of Colossians, engages the church on the station in which they find themselves, to remind us that all that we do, yes, our entire lives must exemplify Christ. We have been redeemed, restored, filled and called to be the now people of God, spreading his gospel and enlarging his kingdom; however, there is a false sense of thinking that this duty is wrapped up in our worship and the many Church committees and ministries that we engage. No, the Christian life is one of ministry and service and it is a 24/7 calling. Yes, wherever we are, and whatever we do, we do it as unto the Lord. And God is not biased to any position or station but will judge all people equally according to their own responsibility, contribution, effort and result.

There Paul, addresses wives and husbands, children and parents, employees and employers so that wherever we find ourselves, we would put our best foot forward, just as when we would in worship and in whatever ministry that we take part in. That as servants, we must be willing and dedicated but even as leaders, that as we lead, we serve Christ and therein must be gentle and reasonable in our leading. Friends, it is a dutiful Christian life, and exemplifying Christ also means we have a responsibility to be compassionate, obedient, and assiduous in our various occupations.

As we consider Labour Day, brothers and sisters, let us be reminded that our sense of calling, our salvation and righteous living would only allow us to fulfil this responsibility every day as we live and labour with one another. And in considering our various roles whether at home, church, in our communities or the workplace the text in reminding us to be diligent and fair, trustworthy and honest, that even as we serve Christ, that he will reward our good works and even so will repay the wrongdoer for their wrongdoing. When all is said and done, we must give account before our righteous Judge who “…knows everything people do, even the things done in secret. He knows all the good and all the bad.He will judge everything people do.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14, ICB) May we then in the service of others employ humility, zeal, effort and goodwill, knowing that we labour unto the Lord.
Until next week, let us be reminded, encouraged and sent with our text, Colossians 3:23-25 now from the Amplified Version “Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve. For he who does wrong will be punished for his wrongdoing, and [with God] there is no partiality [no special treatment based on a person’s position in life].” Amen.

Dominic J. Blair