“Serve the Lord with gladness;…” Psalm 100:2
One of the greatest blessings I’ve ever received, and it may be strange to you, but the Lord understands I am quite sure, was when I learned two beloved friends got together hundreds of miles away from me without my knowing to print, cut, fold, and staple my Faithful Magazine devotional booklet that goes out into prisons, homeless shelters, to me in New York City to distribute, and to wherever else the Lord desires. Grunt work is described at dictionary.com as “work that is repetitious, often physically exhausting, and boring.” I don’t know about you, but I absolutely do not enjoy work that is repetitive and boring. Printing, cutting, folding, and stapling over 1000 booklets is one of the last things in the world I would want to do, but my friends enjoyed each other’s company as they worked at their labor of love for the Lord, for me, and for all the people who would receive encouragement in finding and forever following the Lord Jesus Christ through my mini magazine. They could have been doing a zillion other things, and they weren’t paid a penny to do what they did. Nevertheless they humbly lovingly sweetly labored in their work of love, co-laboring with me in this little ministry to which the Lord has called us as they used their hearts and hands to put the magazines together. Only the Lord knows which prisoner, which homeless person, which wealthy company CEO walking down the street of New York City who might receive a copy, which group of students on the streets I might run into, only He knows whose hearts He will reach through the scripture packed magazine which always includes among much else a clear and straightforward telling of the Gospel message explaining how to have a forever relationship with God. My friends’ grunt work wasn’t just grunt work. It was grunt work for God.
What the Lord calls us to isn’t always pretty, it’s not always fun, it’s not always exciting, it’s not always popular, it’s not always rewarding in the moment, it’s not always adventurous, it’s not always pleasurable and enjoyable, it’s not always something others might pat us on the back for, it’s not always entertaining, it doesn’t always feel like it’s worthwhile, at least in the present, it doesn’t always come with any tangible rewards, it doesn’t always bear fruit we can see now if not ever, but we need to remember the work we do for the Lord when we are clear it is the work to which He has called us, whether as an actual job, a life’s calling, volunteer work, ministry part-time work, missions work once a year, helping someone in need once in a while, stopping on the street to pray for a homeless person, printing, cutting, folding, and stapling Gospel tracts, whatever it may be, when it is for the Lord, it is worth every moment of labor. And that labor should be done in humility, in love, with thanksgiving, and with the realization that when it’s for the Lord, it’s always worthwhile. And a privilege. And an honor. And a blessing. To serve the Lord.
The Bible shows us God wants us to serve Him with gladness. Whether it be mundane grunt work, or as exciting as building orphanages in Africa, or preaching to millions, whatever it may be, when we know it is that to which the Lord has called us, may we answer Him yes and serve Him with humble loving faithful and thankful hearts, Amen!