Fri Devotional

Daily Devotional 

from Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt:

“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10


How much of what you do in life really matters? When I say “matters,” I mean will it matter next week, next month, or next year? Will it matter after you are gone? Most of what we do in life probably won’t matter in a decade or a century. However, any service that we give to God or to others in His Name will matter for all eternity. 1 Corinthians 15:58 assures us of this truth: “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” What an amazing promise!

I have never met one person who, deep down, didn’t want his/her life to matter. We were all created with a God-given longing to make a difference…to leave a legacy beyond ourselves. The only way to fulfill this yearning is by living for the glory of God. There is no work for God that is insignificant or unimportant. And there is no God-given dream that is unattainable. So many people spend their lives working hard to fill their lives with stuff…stuff that will be gone one day. This is such a futile way to live, because the cycle never ends. The more you have, the more you have to work. The more money you have, the more stuff you can buy. It is a cycle that leaves many living stressed, busy, empty lives. God has created us for so much more.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “You can work harder or you can work smarter?” When we use our gifts, talents and passions to serve Christ, we are working smarter. This does not you have to quit your 9-5 job. Working for the glory of God can be in any context where He has placed you. You can serve Christ as a little league coach or a garbage man. You can glorify Him as a cashier or a stockbroker…a stay-at-home mother or a cardiac surgeon. There is no limit to how God can use a surrendered life.

We each have a choice. We can choose to chase the American Dream, or we can choose to spend our lives on what truly matters: God and people. God has placed you where you are, at this time in history, for a purpose. The people you know, the job you have, the church you attend…these are not coincidences. You are there for a reason: To love and serve God by loving and serving others, using the gifts and abilities that God has entrusted to you. When you love and serve others, you are loving and serving Him – and He will remember and reward you.

Jesus, Thank You for the opportunities You give me every day to love and serve You by loving and serving others. Please help me to always remember the work I do for You is never in vain. In Your name I pray, Amen.