Keeping On, Keeping On

            Many of us have routines that we go through each and almost every day. There are some things in that routine that affect other people, but most of them do not. Occasionally, we find something that if ye skipped it there would be some consequences. When I joined up with the U. S. Navy, I soon learned about shining shoes. The shoes that they gave you were about as dull as dull could get. Your first job was to get those shoes shining so much that you could see your face in them. That was when I learned about “spit” shining a shoe. You kept spitting on the shoe and rubbing it with polish with one finger until your finger hurt. It was not easy thing to do. In the end, you could see your face in your shoes. The thing was, you had to keep on doing it as the shine wouldn't last long if you missed a day or so. You keep on shining your shoes each and every day because there is going to be someone who is going to look at your shoes and it usually took place in the first morning inspection of the troops. Spiritually speaking, there are many things that we keep on doing time after time after time. We may sometimes wonder if it is worth it all but then we come to a verse like the following one and realize that it is worth it all. First Corinthians 15:58 says, “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.”

            We soon find out in the work of the Lord that we are not doing it to please men. We are not doing it to please the church body of believers, or the ones with whom you have fellowship or your friends or your new acquaintances. Your work for the Lord consists of doing it because of One and that One is the Lord Jesus Christ. As my granddaughter once said, “It is for an audience of ONE.” Each and every day you might find yourself getting up, going through your routine, opening your Bible, reading your devotion, spending some time in prayer and then go out to start your day in the world. There might be that thought that crosses your mind now and then as to whether it is worth it all. Would it make any difference if you just quit doing it? Would anyone notice if you didn't do what you are doing? Well, right at the beginning, we realize that the Lord knows and He knows the moment you slack off. He knows the moment your work is not up to par or when you think you need a vacation from it all and just stop doing it altogether. The world may not jump up and say, “Hey! Where is my thought for the day?” They might miss eventually the work that you may be doing and may come up and say, “Didn't you use to do such and such?” You might reply, “Yep. I quit doing it a month ago.” While it may be true that the world will not care if you stop. They won't care if you stop praying. They won't care if you stop trying to do acts of kindness. They won't care if you stop reading your Bible and they won't care when you stop going to church. They won't care when you stop singing. In all of the things mentioned and much more, God knows and He cares. So, in affect, it is to an audience of ONE and that ONE is God Himself. As Paul said, “...Your labor is not in vain in the LORD.” Praise God today that we can work for Him each and every day.