Working for Jesus

This morning, Kevin was telling me about a t-shirt he almost bought the other day at the little Kentucky variety store (of all places).  He said the t-shirt said,  

"Work for God....The retirement benefits are great!"  

We had a good laugh together, but this really got me thinking.  You know, before I was saved, I had a very "worldly" view about work.  I worked several years in the health care field from work as a CNA to becoming a tech in the Emergency room and then I went on to becoming a nurse.  I had many years in this profession before God called me to the mission field, and then to be a travel agent for Him.  I have done many "jobs" in the various seasons of my life, from de-tasseling corn as a young girl, to working in the field that I am so blessed to be in now, serving missionaries and adopting families as a travel agent for Jesus!

Today I saw a post on Facebook from a sweet friend and one of our travel customers who has used our services for her international adoption travel to Africa to pick up her sweet daughter.  We just recently helped her with flights to bring her daughter home to the USA.  It is always such a JOY to be able to see these families bring their little children home for the beginning of their new life together as a family.  I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing for the Lord each day than this beautiful work.  So, after having her little girl home for a few short days, she took this photo of her doing dishes.  

"Washing dishes makes her so happy. seriously! She sang the whole time." ~Adopting Mom of this girl in the photo

  

I remember years of work before being saved, and then beautiful years of working for the Lord after.  My occupation did not change when I got saved, but my attitude and heart changed completely and I remember having "JOY" in the most menial jobs.  I remember an older woman of God who came along side of me when I was first saved.  She was a "charge nurse" and I was a Nursing assistant at that time.  In the chain of command on our unit, I was at the BOTTOM and she was at the TOP!  I will never forget how she displayed Jesus to me when I had a job of cleaning up a mess that I will not even describe to you.  She and I both knew that it was my job, and I was not expecting any help with it.  I rolled up my sleeves, put on my gloves, and started in.  Well, a few minutes into this horrendous mess all over the walls, I will never forget what she did.  This "charge nurse" came in the room with me, rolled up her sleeves too, and began singing praises to the Lord while helping me clean up this terrible mess.  The Lord brought light and sunshine into the darkest room that day.  I know that He had put His JOY in her heart and I have never felt the same since that day about any work that God has me to do.  You see, with Jesus, and His Joy in our hearts, work is not just "work," it is an opportunity to sow to the Spirit of God!!!  And oh, when we sow to His Holy Spirit, His Word promises that we will "REAP" everlasting Life!

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." ~Galatians 6:8

I can tell you that working for Jesus is so much better than working for me.  Today I remembered the many times that I "punched the clock" to make money and earn income to make ends meet.  Now I have so much JOY in serving the Lord's people who He sends to me to help them with their travel.  I have never had a work that I have enjoyed more in all of my life.  My husband and I are so blessed to be a part of this work.  Do you know that each time the business phone rings, we give thanks to the Lord for every phone call?  This is something new we are doing and it is funny how it totally changes our perspective on answering the phone!  Something so little that we can do to give thanks in ALL things, and then it is beautiful to see how there is JOY in everything as we look to Jesus for strength and perspective each day in the work He has us to do for Him.  And oh, one day, to see HIS face, the One who we have served when we do it unto Him.  I feel that it will be worth my whole lifetime of service to Jesus to hear those sweet words...

Photo of Artaban from the "Fourth Wise Man" at the end when he finally meets Jesus and has nothing to give him because he had already given it all away and spent his whole life for the moment he would meet Jesus face to face.  When he finally meets His Lord (Jesus), who he has served all those years, he feels so ashamed that he had once had precious gifts, but gave them all away and now at the end of his life he has nothing left to give Him and then Jesus says to him in the movie.  "Artaban, you've already given your gifts to me." Artiban doesn't understand since he is just meeting Jesus for the first time.  Now with nothing in his hands to give His Lord at the end of his life, Jesus replies to him...

"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying (And in the movie, Artaban says), ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it unto Me." ~Matthew 25:36-40

"A life spent and exhausted for Jesus is never a wasted life." 

~Tabitha Lovell