“Work & Rest - God Ordained”   Luke 10:1-2

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

God has ordained and sanctified human life, made in His image.  God has ordained and sanctified marriage between a man and a woman.  God has ordained and sanctified ‘work and rest!”  In all this, because of His love he has bestowed on us, He still gives us free will.  Free to live within in His will or contrary to His will, but there are always consequences for the path we chose. 

From the very beginning, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good…on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” - Gen.1:31-2:3

I want to live out by the grace and mercy of God, a God ordained and sanctified life, which is my prayer too for all those within my sphere of influence.  God has a divine plan and purpose for your life, I hope you know and believe that to be so.  Our part, as people of faith is to surrender to Him and trust and obey.  That can only happen as we acknowledge His Sovereignty in all matters pertaining to life and death - “and whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col.3:17).

He is all-powerful!  He is all-knowing!  He is ever-present!  God is awesome and He has chosen you and me to accomplish His will on earth - wow!  Our culture is doing their best to redefine and devalue human life, sex, marriage, work and rest - all of which our creator has ordained and sanctified.  God new what He was doing and we work and operate best per His design in all matters pertaining to life and death as seen through the lens of His word - the Bible.  Some of us need to get to work, some of us need to rest but I would say most of us need a balance between work and rest. The account of Martha and Mary (cf. Lk 10: 38-42) was not a matter of ‘right or wrong.’  It was not a matter of ‘this or that’ but a matter of ‘balance!”  We are out of balance I believe as a culture, as a family and as a church (church at large).  We often think someone should do something, but maybe that someone is ‘you!”  The multitudes followed Jesus for only what they could get, ‘consumer mentality.’  As a culture, as the ‘church at large’ we are still fighting that same mentality, but I regress.  In the gospel accounts there was a need for laborers, not much has changed. But ‘who can change’ is you and me by the grace of God. Jesus not only sent out the 12 but He sent out others too, Jesus was not exclusive - He bid all that would to follow Him.  Not just to tag along but work!  Jesus said and reminds us today “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Lk 10:2).

Happy Labor Day!  Yes rest from your labor, but get back to work too - God ordained and sanctified both!  I would encourage you to find a local church to worship.  You are always welcome here!

God’s continued blessings and favor!

Pastor Rodney