I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. (John 9:4)
We all have chores to do. There are things we are commanded to do every day and although we will not be punished for not doing them, we are cautioned about "idle hands". We are told that our works are not what gets us into heaven, that it is our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior and our faith in Him that opens the door. Works are necessary and go hand in hand with grace. You will not receive a paycheck if you don't have a job, no matter how much work you do. You need to have the job in order to receive the pay, but if you have the job and don't do the work, you won't have a paycheck.
Grace and works are two separate entities, yet they work together. Having one without the other isn't going to cut it. The grace comes from God, the works are produced through the faith we have in Jesus. They don't have to be as self-sacrificing as some will tell you...they need to be sincere and humble. They are those nameless acts we do for others, for His Kingdom. They are the ones we do not choose to take credit for, because we aren't looking for accolades from anyone here on earth. He sees our heart in all matters. He knows what intentions we have when we enter into the commitment. It is there that our true worth is measured.
What we do while we are here, we do for His glory. Each and every thing we touch and every word we utter should reflect His love for us and our devotion to Him. When the trumpet sounds, and we are called to account for our actions, will you not only know the words you are supposed to know, but will you have the humility to bow your head and ask one final time for forgiveness? If you've never asked, now would be a good time to start. If you've never accepted Christ as your Savior and asked the Holy Spirit to guide and enlighten you, now would be the time.
Be "hired" into the working family of God. Do the "work" assigned to you each day. You will receive your compensation for doing so, with a magnificent bonus when your work is done! Do it willingly, do it lovingly and you will be blessed accordingly! You won't find a better opportunity and He doesn't really care what's on your resume...they all read the same; they all carry the same qualification - sinner.
Rest in the knowledge that He will provide whatever is needed in your earthly life to sustain you - you may not make a fortune, but fortunes aren't what they appear to be. Do what He asks you do to and you will have a life that is filled with blessings from above. Do everything with Him in the foreground. Do it because He asks you to do it, not because it may get you a bigger room in that mansion. Keep your heart and mind focused on Him. His promises are far greater than the money that is insured by the federal reserve. No one on earth can match His benefits and He doesn't tax your earnings and turn around and give them to someone who chooses not to work. We all have a job to do here, so get busy doing them! He's all about equal opportunity! He does not discriminate. The only personal reference He checks with is Jesus, so if you don't know Him, I'd suggest you become familiar with Him! He's easy to reach - just call His name - He'll hear you!
