February 1st

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord

Paul said that our service includes the way we go about our daily work

This is very "hot" and "cold" for me. Some days I feel as though I am right where I need to be and am quite joyful. Others days I feel overwhelemend, stressed and cranki. Hiding my emotions has never been a gift of mine... they're always right there on my sleeve.

This reading reminds me of one of my motivational verses Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Like the verse we studied today it also focuses on slaves, imaginably people who have no joy in their work because of their bondage. We are reminded by both verses that regardless of what we do that everything we do, including our attitude, is being done for God. That in itself should be motivation enough for everything we do. When I have a task that is unpleasant I often time think of this verse and it helps both get the job done and with correcting my attitude.