Monday's Moment

John 6:27

 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1 Corinthians 15:58

 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Good morning - Marvelous Monday - and a very Happy Labor Day to all of you!

When I searched for the meaning of Labor Day, I found this quote:

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. (U. S. Dept. of Labor)

So, it would seem that Labor Day is a tribute to all workers in and for the USA, and these people deserve to be honored for they have helped create the USA as we know it today.

There are other laborers and workers that I would like to honor today and they are the laborers in the kingdom of the Lord. Ministers and their wives, music directors, Sunday School teachers, outreach directors.... and the list goes on and on. Those who labor for the Lord deserve honor. Unlike the natural laborer who receives a paycheck at the end of each week or month, many times the Lord's workers do not see a tangible reward for their labor. In fact, most of their reward will be on the other side of this life. And, oh, what a reward that will be!

Jesus instructed His disciples to labor not for the meat that perishes but for the meat that will last forever; a meat that comes from the Lord. Paul wrote to the Corinthians to stand fast, keep on abounding in God's work, knowing that their labor was not in vain. Neither Jesus nor Paul ever indicated that the work of God would be a piece of cake, but they assured God's workers that all they do for Him is noticed and will have its reward.

Today, if you are a natural laborer, be it farmer, office worker, carpenter, painter, factory worker, etc., thanks for all you do to keep our country running. But, to all of you who labor daily for God's kingdom, thanks to ALL OF YOU, because you help keep God's work running. God works through people, and even though there aren't a lot of accolades that come your way each day, God is keeping a record of what you do for Him! Keep on working for Him. The work is hard but the retirement benefits are out of this world!

Here's a little chorus the children sang years ago:

I will work, I will pray

I will labor every day

I will work, I will pray, I will labor every day

In the vineyard of the Lord

So, keep on, all you workers for the Lord, giving it your best, for He sees, He hears, and He will repay you for all you do!

God bless you all with a safe and happy Labor Day. Lord willing, I'll see you tomorrow for another spoonful!!