abounding in the work of the lord

It’s the middle of the summer. The beaches are packed. Big RV’s clog the roadways. People spend their days out on the water. Many have homes near it. Ah yes, this is the life! Well at least for the moment. You see, if the beach, the water, vacations, having fun in the sun, if that’s what “the life” is, that life is pretty shallow. The life we live in our physical bodies is in reality, temporary. It may seem like we are on the top of the world. Like we have it all, like we are invincible, like these “happy days” will go on forever! Don’t believe that lie. Go talk with a resident at a nursing home. Life will let you down, you will get old, happy days will end. Then what? Don’t let this bleak reality summarize the totality of your life. The Gospel is Good News! It gives hope for the future and the promise of life, real life, eternal life! God is life. Anything opposed to God and His word ends in total separation from real life, death. John the Baptist said in John3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life. But he who does not obey (see the connection between belief and obedience) the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Real Life, “The Life” is all about doing life with Jesus, or Life IN Christ. Having faith in Jesus and obeying His word is how we live eternal life right now! The born again believer, the faithful follower of Christ is “raised” up in baptism to “walk in a new life”. (Romans 6:4) This new life is eternal in so far as at the instant a saint dies in the body, his soul and spirit are in the presence of the Lord. While he is still alive in the body, and working for the Lord, the Lord is always with him. Death no longer has any sting. Thanks be to Jesus the Christ who gives us victory over death! (1Corinthians15:57) That includes victory over eternal separation from God. Therefore, our view of death is now completely different. We no longer fear death, wether natural of otherwise, because we are living an eternal life right now. In 1Corinthians 15:58 , the apostle encourages us how to live this new and eternal life. “... steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” Live your life convicted on the foundation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Never waver from that fact and never move away from that position. Satan is pushing on you every day to defect from the rock. Stand firm! At the same time, “abound in the work of the Lord”. Those who are serving, working and ministering to others in the will of God for the promotion of His kingdom and His glory will always reap heavenly rewards. The energy and time spent working for the sake of His name is never wasted. “Your labor is not in vain.” So ask yourself, “What work am I doing for the glory of God?”, “How am I helping His kingdom and what am I doing to aid in delivering the Gospel of Christ?” Those engaged in this work are truly “living the life”.