Friday, September 12, 2008

Ya-Hoo in the To-Do

by Kathy Lay

This Week's Verse: 1 Cor. 10:31, "Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God." (NLT)

Devotion:
Rolling out of bed this morning, did every task of the day infiltrate your thoughts? Did your to-do list overwhelm you? Or did it cross your mind what a drag it can be just keeping up with the daily grind? It's so easy to feel caught in a rut since the details of life can seem menial and sometimes meaningless.

But God desires joy for you even in those ruts. In fact, you can bring Him glory there. As today's verse indicates, what you do sometimes matters much less to God than how you do it.

Anyone can wipe down the kitchen for the third time in one day, but not everyone does it while rockin' a praise song.

Anyone can re-do a project at work because the boss gave the wrong instructions the first time, but not everyone does it without grumbling.

Anyone can go elbow deep in the toilet to work on a rust stain, but many aren't willing to do it at all, much less happily.

As undignified or “un-fun” as some tasks seem, they can bring glory to God if you approach them with a servant's heart. Remember Jesus illustrating this to the disciples by washing their filthy feet? And yet He was happy to do it.

Now you—purposefully chosen you—are being used to bless others who might not even show appreciation. But dear one, rest assured, there's One beaming down at you, pleased at your willingness to do all things for His glory. Can you feel His pleasure?

Dear Lord, come with me as I tackle my to-do list today. Help me to see each task –even eating and drinking—as an opportunity to glorify You by being content and self-controlled. How I want to feel Your pleasure as I submit all I do to Your glory.

Application:
What’s on your to-do list that bores you to tears? What on it do you dread? Write down ways you could bring glory to God in doing those tasks, then put them into practice.

Power Verses:
1 Peter 4:9
, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.”(NIV)
Ecclesiastes 5:20, “He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.”(NIV)

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