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Laboring in Vain
by Steve Troxel (Steve's bio)
[Note: If you'd like to read more from Steve, be sure to visit God's Daily Word.]
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As we are "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) and live "united with Him in His resurrection" (Romans 6:5), we begin to view more and more of our life through the eyes of God. What we once saw as critically important begins to fade; and what we once neglected, we now see as beloved by our Heavenly Father.
We can no longer build according to our old set of priorities. In fact, when we truly come, in full submission, to the cross of Jesus, we find we can no longer build anything according to our own design nor in our own strength. We discover we must make God the Master Builder of every area of our life or we are wasting precious time, energy, and resources.
Psalms 127:1
"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."
Our life goes by so fast and our eternal vision is so very limited. Many of us are frantically building our castle and have failed to see we are building with sand which will crumble with the swell of the next tide. We may be struggling to build in our marriage, children, parents, job, school, friends, or even our ministry. But if we are expending great effort without results which are pleasing to God, we must honestly ask the question: "Am I allowing God to build?"
Even if our effort meets with apparent success, we must ask the same question and relinquish controls to God. Our greatest projects, if built in our own strength, will one day pass through the fire and be consumed; "the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:13). It will be a sad day if we find we have spent a lifetime building that which is burned up; "he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Corinthians 3:15).
In order for God to properly build, we must first submit to the refining He desires to accomplish within us. He will mold us into the likeness of His Son as we are fully devoted to loving Him, learning His Word, and applying His Truth as the absolute foundation of our life: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22-24).
God is not just the best solution, He is the ONLY solution worth pursuing. Let's make the commitment that the study of God's Word will never become just an intellectual exercise; rather, let's apply His truth to all areas of our life. Let's turn ALL areas over to God and allow Him to build what will last for eternity! Beginning today - beginning right now! - let's stop laboring in vain!
Copyright 2002, Steve Troxel. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
| About Steve Troxel: Steve Troxel is the President of God's Daily Word Ministries. Steve was trained as an Electrical Engineer and received his PhD in 1994. After working as a researcher in a laser laboratory for several years, Steve felt the call from God to leave his trained profession and enter into full-time ministry. His devotionals are now sent around the world via email as well as distributed in book format. More information about this ministry as will as a "sign-up" page can be found at: http://www.godsdailyword.org |
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