And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
TO PONDER
What's your definition of a quiet life? Lying on a hammock in a tropical paradise with an ice-cold drink of your choice, listening to the ocean’s waves lapping the sand, with not a worry in the world. That sounds pretty good to me!
Our verse for today tells us to strive to lead a quiet life but the meaning of this couldn't be further from the description above. Whilst a quiet life has the thought of peace, calm, rest, and satisfaction, it certainly doesn’t mean to be idle and to waste time. The quiet life we are instructed to ambitiously strive for allows us to really take the time and give our full attention to listen to God. It is our Christian duty to put the interests of others first, but we are to mind our own business and not meddle as 'busy-bodies' in the lives of others.
We should recognise the dignity and honour of the work God has given us to do. This is God's plan for us. God gave us His son in the form of a carpenter, Jesus' first disciples were fisherman and arguably the greatest human missionary Paul, was a tent maker. All workers! By diligently carrying out God's work, the non-Christians (outsiders) we engage with on our journey may be influenced to also become followers. If God is the centre piece of our life, we have all we need and we will not be dependent upon anything in this world.
What steps can you put in place today to assist you to live a quiet life?
PRAYER:Heavenly Father, thank you for the advice for living a 'life of work' that you have provided for me through the scriptures. Thank you that we have been able to focus together on my ‘living a life of work’ this week in my devotion time with You. Help me to continue to willingly live a quiet life in Your name. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
TO PONDER
Most of us (if not all) will know the catchy Seekers Hit, "We Shall Not Be Moved". It is an African American song that had popularity as a protest and union message for the Labor Movement (1930s and 40s) and the Civil Rights Movement (1950s and 60s). The song describes being "like a tree planted by the waters" who "shall not be moved" because of faith in God. We can find Bible references to the theme of the tree being firmly planted by the waterside in Jeremiah 17: 8-9 and Psalm 1:3. The song is based lyrically and musically on the religious hymn “I Shall Not Be Moved,” which was popular with both black and white U.S. congregations in the first decades of the century.
1 Corinthians 15:58 tells us to stand firm and let nothing move us. Our Christian work here on earth will never be finished whilst there are still people who have either not heard of the story of Jesus or who have yet to come to know and accept Him as their Saviour! Our faith and work as Christ's disciples needs to remain firmly and deeply rooted in God's word so we are not distracted, tempted or lose our way as a result of the evil one (Satan).
"Just like a tree, that's standing by the water side, we shall not be moved."
What actions can you take today and daily to keep your roots of faith firmly embedded in God's word so that you can stand firm and not be moved by the works of the evil one?
PRAYER: Gracious gardener Jesus Christ. Continue to nourish my roots embedded in the soil with your life-giving water so that my faith remains deeply rooted in You and Your word – and so I can stand firm in my belief and work for You, and not be moved. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."
TO PONDER
In our verse reflection earlier this week (Monday – Genesis 2: 2-3) we learned that God didn't physically need a rest day on the Sabbath but rather used the seventh day to reflect on His toiling and all that He had created. A moment to reflect on His work of creation. Our God is indeed a busy God. He is always watching over us and walking with us. Our God is always at work. He encourages us to follow in His footsteps and keep busy.
Most of us are probably aware of the saying 'sing for your supper'. It is a saying we might label today an 'olden day' phrase alluding to wandering minstrels who performed in taverns and were paid with a meal. They worked / sang for their pay / reward.
Our message today outlines that God's plan for us is to provide for our needs through our work. Verse 10 is articulate in qualifying the fact that those who are unwilling to work, that is those that are able to, and choose not to, shall not eat. God will provide for all our needs if we use our time and talents wisely in His name and not be idle or waste our time like fools.
God wants us to be busy and productive with our time. We should be very attentive to sing for our supper. Knowing that our Lord will provide us with our every need in return for our devotion to Him.
What earthly distractions and temptations, keep you from doing God's work and willingly singing for your supper? How can you counteract them?
PRAYER: Father God - continue to walk with me so I proactively find opportunities to be busy in my earthly work for You. Father, encourage me and remind me of the total assurance in your plan to indeed provide for my every need through the work that I do in Your name. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
A sluggard’s appetite is never filled,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
TO PONDER
Proverbs 13 focusses on the value of correction in our lives and compares the wise soul to the foolish one.
Both the wise and the foolish have desires. After all, whether wise or foolish, we are human beings. It's not that the foolish person (or sluggard) lacks desire, in fact they wish for and crave many things. Today's verse (#4) highlights for us however, that the sluggard's desires are never fulfilled. The foolish person will never have contentment in their desires because they are solely of a material possession / nature. Desires of a material nature will only fuel the desire to accumulate more. True happiness is never achieved.
Whereas the wise soul bases their desires on spiritual things (aligned with God and the position He holds in our lives). Just like the wise man who built his house upon the solid foundation of rock - the Word of God - (Matthew 7: 24-27).
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we need no more. A life centred on our Lord and Saviour is the answer. We are to use all our God given talents including the material possessions that we have been gifted to please God. This doesn't mean we will not be subjected to pain and suffering on our earthly journey with our Lord, but we will be fully satisfied, with both our earthly accomplishments, as well as God's promise that awaits us. Diligence in spiritual things leads to spiritual riches and blessings.
Do you ever crave for more? How can you be more Christ-like with some of your God given talents or material possessions granted to you from your Heavenly Father?
PRAYER:My Lord and saviour. Grant me the wisdom to know and understand that my desires will be fully satisfied if they are centred on You. Help me to always use the gifts and talents you have entrusted me with for Your Glory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
TO PONDER
Lifeline in Australia is an exceptional national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with 24-hour, 7 day per week crisis support. It is Australia’s leading suicide prevention service. Lifeline is a connection point for those who desperately need someone to talk to in an absolute time of need.
As Christian’s, we equally have a lifeline connection to our Father in Heaven who is eagerly waiting to talk to us in prayer at absolutely any time of the day or night. To remain in Jesus (as our verse tells us to do), requires our connection with Him through our faith and prayer life.
A healthy prayer life is one where we speak to our Heavenly Father regularly (like we talk with a friend). Prayer should not be reserved only for times of major crisis. Additionally, our faith and an active prayer life should mean we expect our prayers to be answered - just as we are reminded of in our verse for today.
Like the critical connection we see in the vineyard between the vine and the branches (John 15:5), how can we (the branches), produce fruit and please God if we are not connected to the vine (Jesus).
Our lifeline connection to Jesus is all we need.
What fruit have you born in recent days that shined the light of God into the world? What fruit can you bear today or tomorrow?
PRAYER: Dear Lord. Please help me to grow my lifeline connection to you through my faith and prayer life. You indeed are the vine and I am your branch. Help me to bear your fruit. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
TO PONDER
We all need a rest day in today’s busy world. God did not need a rest day because he was tired from creating the sun, moon, night, day, the earth, the waters and all the living animals on earth. On the seventh day He rested so He could find satisfaction in His toil (as yesterday’s verse from Ecclesiastes instructed us to do), as His creating work was done. God provided a pattern for men and women regarding the structure of time (a seven day-week), and to give an example of the blessing of rest to us on the seventh day.
God sanctified the seventh day because it was a gift to us for rest and replenishment, and most of all because the Sabbath is a shadow of the rest available through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
We should be thankful and praise God daily for everything He has done for us as Christians, and for all that He provides us. The Sabbath day however is even more special for us, as we have the opportunity to worship God and praise Him with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Additionally, we get to rest from our own toiling and avocation in this world.
In a world where there is a push for a shorter working week and additional annual leave, how might you be able to devote some of your increased leisure time to God?
PRAYER:Dear Lord. I thank you for providing the world with a pattern regarding the structure of time. Helping and guiding me through every seven days – by carving out segments during the week to perform the work you provide for me, giving me treasured leisure time and then gifting me with rest, replenishment and the opportunity to worship with my fellow believers on the Sabbath day. Help me to use my leisure time wisely. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God
TO PONDER
Eat, drink and be merry! This is a phrase that many Christians don't like to associate with as the 'merry' has connotations of drunkenness. It is a phrase you often hear around the Christmas season where people can get tangled in the web of festivities; eating and drinking too much.
Today's text instructs us to ….eat and drink and find satisfaction in our own toil.
The message in verse 24 is provided in the context that all we do can seem meaningless, particularly where our toil is primarily to accumulate income and possessions in this life. We are all familiar with the phrase 'you cannot take it with you'.
As Christian's however, all that we do should be done for the glory of God and to help grow his Kingdom here on earth. Our own personal assets and positions, together with the different talents and skill-sets we have (earthly treasures) are indeed gifts from God that we need to use and share in a 'God-like' fashion. Hence if our focus is indeed mirrored on being 'Christ-like' in everything we do and say, then we can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in our own toil.
Reflect on your toil of recent days and how you can be satisfied in what you did. How might it have pleased God?
PRAYER:Heavenly Father. Help me to live a 'Christ-like' life centred on you so I can eat and drink and find satisfaction in my toil for you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Shane Burdack, LifeWay Epping
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
TO PONDER
I know this verse comes fro the Old Testament. I know this verse predates Jesus incarnation, death, and resurrection. And yet it is in Jesus where God has shown us, more clearly than anywhere else what he wants of us.
Don't you think acting justly, showing mercy, and walking in humility in the will of God the Father, would be three defining traits or characteristics one might use to describe Jesus?
I know the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets and merchandise kind of fell out of favour in the early 2000's, and probably for good reason. And yet, there is something to the idea of stopping in a moment of decision and taking time to think about what Jesus would do, or rather, what Jesus would have you do in that moment.
The great thing is that the more we stop to do it, the more naturally we find ourselves automatically responding in a Christlike way. Before long, responding like Jesus becomes our default position and others have the opportunity to see Christ, more clearly in and through us.
So, act rightly and justly, love and embrace every opportunity to show mercy and forgiveness, and walk humbly in the Will of God for you and your life, and just see what God can do with a life lived like that.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. You have made it perfectly clear, in your word and also through your son Jesus, what life as your child is supposed to look like. I ask your forgiveness for the times when I have made it look like something else and also ask that you would help me to act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with you each day. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.
TO PONDER
This kind of wisdom seems to have been lost to many people in developed western countries and cultures. We seem to be increasingly enamoured by those who make it big in the world of business, despite the number of people they might have taken advantage of along the way. We seem to spend a lot of time as a society (generally speaking) scrolling on our phones listening to those who have a large social media following, simply because they found a way to get paid for having an opinion.
Our television screens are full of shows like, 'The Real Housewives of...' franchise or 'Love Island', or even 'Survivor', which ultimately encourage their participants to stab one another in the back and to create as much drama as possible by acting towards one another in ways that none of us would welcome or tolerate in our own home or families (at least I hope we wouldn't).
Our society seems to be increasingly happy to idolise and look up to immoral and perverse behaviour, and looks at those of us who still want to live acording to and upholding the teachings of Jesus simply as old fashioned killjoys, who just don't know how to have a good time.
But if that's how your life as a Christian feels to you, then I don't think you're doing it right. Sure, there are times when walking the way of Jesus is hard, we should expect that, he said that it would be. And yet, there is also great freedom in walking through life as a disciple of Jesus. There is freedom to experience life in a different way. Not where we do whatever we want, but where we get to be who we were supposed to be, when we experience life the way it was meant to be experienced, in it's fulness and within the parameters in which we were designed to experience it, in a relationship with the one true and living God. That is not a dull life, if you earnestly seek to follow the plans God has for you each day, it can be a life of adventure and mind-blowing encounters of God at work in the world at almost every turn.
PRAYER:Lord God, I know that I often wake up and set off to achieve my own plans for the day. Right now, I place my day in your hands and ask that you would help me see your agenda for my day and help me to walk in it and see you at work in and through my life. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.