Keep Up the Great Work!

Most of the Christian life is spent doing life. It's not in the miraculous of dry ground in the parted Red Sea or at the podium witnessing a thousand converts. It's in every day when you punch a time clock, rock a baby to sleep, or call a friend. It's when you swallow your pride, hold your tongue, or offer a second chance. It's in the night when you curl around your prayers and in the day when you step out in faith. It's messy, hot and dusty. It has you walking on the straight until you turn a corner and it's all uphill. 

There are often no rewards or recognition. There is no chart tallying your points. The great characters of the Bible had monumental moments, no doubt. But even those were moments, days, or at best, seasons. They too, had to gather what they ate. 

Maybe the next best thing is the very thing God put in front of you and the very ground your feet seem to be on, today. 

Psalm 139:2 talks about how God knows when we sit and rise and what our thoughts are. There are multiple scriptures which speak of His love, promises, instructions, plans, and desire for us to wait on Him.

Each day is a new opportunity to bring God glory and honor. Sometimes, we feel it's a whole lot and sometimes it feels like a little. If we wait for a grand opportunity or an expanse of territory, then we will miss the very heart of Jesus who spent much of His time simply, being.  He walked, taught, healed, ate, visited and loved. His humility was an earth shaker; His power needed no show. 

Day to day Jesus made His way to the cross and blew our minds with His death and resurrection. He rocked the world with His love.

The woman who touched the hem of Jesus's garment knew something about being rocked by this love while on a crowded street. I imagine her day started out pretty much like all the others did yet, unbeknownst to her, the extraordinary was  around the corner. 

We often celebrate success in today's church with big  - attendance, converts, recognition, titles, money, supporters and giftedness - now. However, we need to remember that within those are still painstaking slowness, seemingly unanswered prayers, stagnation, misgivings, ordinary hard work - eating, drinking, sleeping and waking up. 

I want to encourage you, follower of Jesus, that your mouth, hands, and feet can bring God glory, today. 

That thing you did last week and what you're doing today, matter. These days will add up to a different kind of grand on God's scale as you mature in Him and rock your own corner with His love.

Keep up the great work!                                                    Dee M. Kostelyk