“Work, as if for the Lord”
Last month our church hosted the worship service for the Blessing of the Fleet. I was the speaker. At first I wasn’t sure what I would say. I had never preached a sermon for such an event. And then it came to me. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
I want to share a quick summary of this message, because I believe it is applicable to all of us. The first phrase Paul writes is, “Whatever you do…” This is a reminder that we are to discover our own calling. Mine is to preach. I have no doubt about that in my mind. But I would argue strongly that the call to be a pastor or missionary is not the only call God gives. He calls some to teach, some to do business, some to work on cars, and some to fish. God gives each of us talents and gifts, and He wants us to find our own calling. There are no unimportant jobs in the kingdom of God. If you find your calling, life will have meaning. “Whatever you do…”
The second phrase is, “do heartily.” That means to do the best you can. Do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. Don’t be lazy. Don’t cut corners. Give it your best effort. I believe that is God’s calling. If you cut grass, trim the edges, rake the clippings, and make the yard as pretty as you can. Give it your all. “Do heartily.”
The final phrase is, “as for the Lord, not for men.” Here’s a question for you. Who is your boss? You might offer me a name. Perhaps you are self-employed, so you work for yourself…or your customers. I would argue that, ultimately, you work for the Lord. He is your ultimate supervisor. Do you work as if for the Lord?
That finishes the verse, but the sentence goes through v. 24. “…knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord.” What a great way to summarize it. You are serving the Lord. The Lord will reward you. I pray that you will discover the truth to this great lesson. “Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord…” God bless.
