Work..

Morning ladies! Well, in this area we were to be getting snow today, yet this morning when I walked, the sky was overcast and gray but no a flake to be found. No moon, no stars…sigh. Hidden behind a blanket of clouds, the beautiful, bright moon was shining on. And how I longed to get a glimpse but nothing doing. I was stuck with a vision of gray. 🙂 Yet I knew the moon was behind it, right? And as I ponder all that is unfolding in my family’s life, I hold on to this truth. That tho the darkness seem so long, God still is the ruler yet. Let me share a hymn that I love.. I’ve included Fernando Ortega’s rendition…

This is My Father’s World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byIpfEVxhs4
This is my Fathers world
And to my listening ears,
All nature sings and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Fathers world,
I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hand, the wonders wrought.
This is my Fathers world,
The birds, their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their makers praise.
This is my Fathers world,
He shines in all that’s fair.
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Fathers world,
Oh let me neer forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Fathers world,
The battle is not done.
Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied
And earth and heaven be one
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/f/fernando_ortega/this_is_my_fathers_world.html ]

Our prayer focus! 🙂 Our prayer focus today is on work. And to that end, the verse is found in Colossians 3:23. Yet, allow yourself the time to read the verses surrounding this passage to truly seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you read and delve and dig in His word. As my kids, when they are begging me for something say, beautiful please? 😉 Again, the comments behind the verse 23 and 24 are from blb.org. It is quoting Vine’s Dictionary aid..
Colossians 3:16Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts.
17And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him.
18Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord.
19Husbands, love your wives [be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter or resentful toward them.
20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
21Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or fret your children [do not be hard on them or harass them], lest they become discouraged and sullen and morose and feel inferior and frustrated. [Do not break their spirit.]
22Servants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not only when their eyes are on you as pleasers of men, but in simplicity of purpose [with all your heart] because of your reverence for the Lord and as a sincere expression of your devotion to Him.
23Whatever may be your task (“to do, make,” is used of spending a time or tarrying, in a place,), work (“to work, work out, perform,” is translated “minister” in 1Cr 9:13; the verb is frequently used of business, or employment, and here the phrase means “those employed in sacred things” or “those who are assiduous in priestly functions.” )at it heartily (the soul, or life, is rendered “heart” in Eph 6:6 (marg., “soul”), “doing the will of God from the heart.” In Col 3:23, a form of the word psuche preceded by ek, from, lit., “from (the) soul,” is rendered “heartily.”), as [something done] for the Lord (properly an adjective, signifying “having power” (kuros) or “authority,” is used as a noun, variously translated in the NT, “‘Lord,’ ‘master,’ ‘Master,’ ‘owner,’ ‘Sir,’ a title of wide significance,) and not for men,
24Knowing(to have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to) [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive (signifies “to receive from another,” (a) to “receive” as one’s due) the inheritance (the prospective condition and possessions of the believer in the new order of things to be ushered in at the return of Christ,) which is your [real] reward (recompence, to reward or repay someone). [The One Whom] you are actually serving (to obey, submit, in a good sense, to yield obedience)[is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).
I include the verse 24 because our natural inclination is to wonder what is in it for me? Not that we want to admit this base human emotion, yet it is here all the same. Paul shifts our focus from what’s in it for me to the real reward. We often stop at verse 23..and that is a huge mistake. We think we need to work heartily for the Lord yet Paul is saying to us, people! look to Jesus for your eternal reward. The grind might be tiring, exhausting, painful but when we realize that we are truly serving the King and the reward is Jesus, our life takes on a different meaning. And so as we pray for our spouses today, ourselves, our family, pray for an eternal perspective. The boss in front of your spouse isn’t really the one in charge, are they?
And to finish I found another song that has been blessing my socks off lately..and it is a beautiful video to boot! 🙂 Just Give Me Jesus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu2E2FUcIiE&feature=related

Pray on, sisters. Pray on.