Daily Devotional for Tuesday June 17, 2003
Being lazy
(Proverbs 18:9)
Being lazy. Many people ask me each day where I get the inspiration for these devotions every day. I literally sit down and write these every morning around 5am. It is quiet in the office, my mind is fresh, and hopefully God is speaking into my heart what to share with you. Some days what I feel God leading me to write makes sense, other days it doesn't. This is a "doesn't" day but here it goes. Amazing to me, even on the "doesn't" days, God is trying to reach someone, maybe you.
I am convinced through Scripture, that God expects us to be busy, to be active, to be productive in our lives. It is through this activity that we earn our living or get an education, participate in sports and other recreational activities, interact with family and friends, and most important...serve Him. You see, lazy people make bad servants.
The Bible tells us to be busy working while there is still light, because night is coming. That means that until Christ returns, we need to be busy serving God so that His plan can be fulfilled. God has a plan and purpose for everyone's life, and for every situation. Since we can't know the entire mind of God, or what His specific plan and purpose is in every case, our job is to simply be obedient. God uses our obedience in serving Him, to accomplish His purpose.
Now I realize that many take a scriptural position that we really don't have to do anything because God is going to do it anyway. Others put the dependence on the actions of man for God's plan to unfold. The Bible actually teaches that is a blending of those extreme positions where it becomes the sovereignty of God working in conjunction with the activity of man. As far as the issue of being lazy is concerned, the Bible clearly tells us in many passages that it is a sin to be lazy and nonproductive. That is why today I want to encourage you not to fall into this trap. If being lazy is an issue that you battle with, it is time to recognize it and battle to conquer laziness just like any other sin in our life.
I will be praying today that you take a few minutes to analyze your life and if laziness is something you fight, that God will give you the strength to become more active and productive in your daily life. It really is about having focus, having goals, and having projects to complete at all times. In other areas of your life, you have much going on, but often the sin of laziness the Bible is speaking of occurs in our service for God. We have energy to do other things, but in our service to God, we tend to slack off. My prayer is that you will be just as energetic in serving the Lord as you are in other areas of your life.
I love you and care about you so much. I will be praying for you. Make this an active productive day of service for the Lord. Make the rest of 2003 an active, productive time of service for God. He has blessings above and beyond anything you could ever imagine if you just follow Him, love Him, and serve Him each and every day.
In His love and active service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller