Whatever You Do
Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:15-17
Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus …
—Colossians 3:17
N. C. Wyeth, whose paintings gave us unforgettable images of the heroes of stories like The Yearling and Treasure Island, unfortunately felt compelled to write on the door of his studio, “I will not have Good Fortune or God’s Blessing let in while I am working.”
Exodus 31 tells quite a different story, of how God chose Bezalel and Oholiab and filled them with his Spirit. He gave them extraordinary artistic ability to make beautiful carvings, tapestries and cast gold, silver, and bronze furnishings for the tabernacle, the tent in which God lived among his people Israel.
When the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts, he gives us gifts to serve God. No calling in life is meant to be separate from God. Brother Lawrence, a lowly monk, “practiced the presence of God” while washing dishes in a monastery kitchen. The prophet Zechariah describes the world transformed by the coming of the Lord: “On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses … Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 14:20-21).
“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Everything in life is made fruitful, beautified, sanctified, and brought into balance when we do it for the Lord.
Lord, keep us from thinking we can separate our faith from the rest of life. May all we do bring glory to you. In Christ, Amen.
About the author — George Young
George Young, a native New Yorker, worked as a taxi driver in New York City before studying to become a pastor. Then he, his wife Ruth, and their children were missionaries for many years in northeastern Japan. They worked with ministers and believers from the Reformed Church in Japan to spread the good news of salvation in Christ and establish new churches. Now George and Ruth are retired and live in the northeastern United States, nearer to their children and grandchildren.
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