Labor Day Devotional
by David Roberts
My favorite TV teacher is Chuck Missler. The other day he asked his live audience how many were saved. He was not surprised to see that most of the people raised their hands. What he said next was surprising to me as I guessed it was to those attending the conference. “Why are you saved? What did God save you for?” Dr. Missler went on to explain that the answer to that question for all Christians would be – their destinies. The situation we find ourselves in right now, if it is not our destiny, is our calling: what we do for a living before we reach our destiny.
The ultimate reason God saved us is, for most of us, something that will be realized in the future. That idea has greatly influenced my attitude toward my current job. I am a custodian at the apartment complex where my wife and I live. I feel in good company when I consider that Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a tent-maker. They help me put my present calling into perspective.
As I dust-mop and damp mop stairways and landings, basically working with my hands, I realize that my mind doesn’t need to be engaged as much as it used to be when I was a high school English teacher. I remember during those years, dreaming of this kind of job. I believed that if I only had the time, I could write more and study only what I wanted to instead of what I was assigned to teach. Now I have the time and the opportunity to pray, meditate, and get close to God. I let Him point out things that He used to, in His mercy, let me get away with and now, in His greater mercy, convicts me of. He is using this time in my life to build His character in me—and whatever He may have for me in the future, will grow out of this new character as a building is grounded on a strong foundation.
On this Labor Day, don’t let anyone think of his or her job as less important than it is. Paul says in I Thessalonians 4:11 “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;” Does God have some big plans for you? I don’t know. Work at where He has you today, and do it all for His glory. Leave everything else up to Him.
David Roberts is a husband, father, and grandfather who loves Jesus. He enjoys writing and his work. Sometimes he preaches at The Cumberland Valley Church, which meets in a barn in Mechanicsburg, PA.
