Memorise: As the poor turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. Proverbs 26:14
Read: Hebrews 4:8-11 (KJV)
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Bible in one year:
Genesis 31,
Jeremiah 25:1-16,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 17
Message:
Life is a call to service. At the end of it, God has set a day of reckoning when everyone must appear before the judgement seat of Christ to receive the reward of their stewardship, according to what they have done on earth, whether good or bad (2nd Corinthians 5:10).
When God created the world, He ordained work as a means of rendering service, in order for man to find fulfilment and obtain reward or praise. He also introduced regular periods of rest for man, just as He rested after creating the world. However, many people are over-stretching the need for rest by misusing and wasting away precious time. Such people forget that time measures life, and so time-wasting is a deadly shortcoming.
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every thing living that moveth upon the earth.”
Genesis 1:28
God’s mandate to mankind in this scripture shows that we are called to a life of service. The Holy Spirit further tells us that we only have one opportunity to make good use of the gift that life is. In Hebrews 9:27 He says:
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this Judgment:”
Knowing then that we have only one life to live, let us live our lives maximally for the glory of God. The story of David, the shepherd boy who later became king of Israel, serves as a perfect example in this case. As a little boy, David was in the wilderness, busy managing his family’s wealth. He was putting his life at risk while his brothers enjoyed the protective environment of the town with its fun and entertainment. Nevertheless, David carried out his duty without complaining, and he used the opportunity of his time in the wilderness to polish his musical talent and shooting skills. Down the line, his proficiency in music singled him out to play for the king, while his skill with the catapult was harnessed in the destruction of Goliath the blasphemer and enemy of God. Your diligence will single you out for honour in Jesus’ Name. On the other hand, excessive rest leads to idleness, laziness, boredom and a multitude of other sins that rush in to fill the vacuum created by idleness. Quite obviously, it was excessive rest and idleness that paved the way for David’s fall into adultery and murder (2nd Samuel 11:1-5). Furthermore, Ezekiel 16:49 confirms that the “abundance of idleness” played a major role in the sins and eventual destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. How busy are you with the work God has placed in your hands?
Prayer Point
Father, please help me to discharge my duties well and finish strong, in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
Genesis 31
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