Consider: “Everyday Faithfulness”

Published on by Kim

Glenna Marshall provides rich encouragement for steady, ordinary faithfulness in our lives in Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World. 

Here are two excerpts:

Faithfulness is an everyday calling. It’s regular, it’s ordinary, it’s taking a really long view of the Christian life. It’s reshaping our desires for immediate fruit and committing to following Jesus for the long haul. It’s getting up every single day and believing that God is your treasure, that the gospel of Jesus is worth your every breath, and that he is enough. Faithfulness is doing this again tomorrow and the next day and ten years from now. Faithfulness is ordinary. It’s unremarkable. It plods. It is also precious in the sight of the God who works out lifelong sanctifying perseverance in your life for your good and his glory.

God has designed and equipped the Christian life for perseverance that reaches beyond our own benefits. In kindness, he has given us the means to accomplish his good purposes in both our lives and the lives of others as our faithfulness points others to his faithfulness. Our faithfulness isn’t just for us. It announces to the world that Jesus is worth every drop of our devotion.

These books are set here as possibilities for you to explore. Posts and links are not endorsements or paid publicity.

Work to Share

Published on by Kim1 Comment

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor,
doing honest work with his own hands,
so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Ephesians 4:28

No, this post is not assuming we are all ex-convicts. The principle in this verse is striking to me, however, so I thought we could take a minute to think about it today.

Why do we work? We do honest work to have something to share with those in need.

Yes, we love our neighbor through the work that we do — serving, supporting, etc. We also love our neighbor with the proceeds as well.

Our work may produce actual produce (farmer’s market, anyone?), or a meal or a clean house for hospitality. Our work may result in paychecks — money that is used to provide physical needs for ourselves and others. Our work may be creating tangible items that others need and will use. Our work may be continual service: cleaning up, helping, lifting, protecting, etc. The possibilities go on and on.

Whatever the situation, what a gift God has given His children! On a daily basis, we have the opportunity to love as we fulfill our usual responsibilities. It’s not just drudgery. It’s a way to reflect the work of God in our own work and love others as He has loved us.