Piecing Life Together

May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together - spirit, soul, and body - and keep you fit for the coming of the Master, Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

He recognized that people cannot achieve the process of maturity that leads to wholeness though self-effort. It requires the power of God. 

          A jigsaw puzzle is made up of multiple parts. It is only when these parts are put together, when the puzzle is whole and complete, that you see the picture it was designed to display. Your life is the same way. Your life is made up of many complex components: family, life, job, hobbies, physical health, emotional state, present circumstances, past experiences, hope for the future, relationship with God. It would be easy to feel that your life is fragmented, like unconnected pieces of a puzzle that don't seem to fit. But that isn't the way you were designed.

          God designed you to be whole and complete, where every part of your life interconnects with his love and his plan. This doesn't happen automatically or overnight. That is why the apostle Paul asked God to help the people in the church at Thessalonica to continue to move closer toward wholeness in their lives. He recognized that people cannot achieve the process of maturity that leads to wholeness though self-effort. It requires the power of God. Paul's prayer is one you need to pray for yourself.

          Ask God to help pull the pieces of your life together according to his original design. As you choose to keep God at the center of your life, you'll find your own unique "picture" becoming more complete. Your job, your relationships, and your dreams work together, linked to one another because they are each solidly linked back to God.

          Let Paul's prayer make you more aware of the big picture behind what's going on in your life. Ask God to help you get a better glimpse of what that really is.

          ~ MME Team

         

Job Description: Excellence

In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. 

Colossians 3:23

          Work is a noble calling. God commends people for doing it well, and he also does work himself. When God created the world, he worked. The excellence of his work is evident in everything he made. He even took a day off to review the results of his efforts and declared them "good." God continues to work, sustaining what he created that very first week in the world history.

          Since God created you in his image, work should be a part of your life. Doing it well reflects God's creativity and character. It is easy, however, to lose your motivation when a job is difficult or you become bored with doing the same thing day after day. Paul's words to the Colossians can help you keep your work in its proper perspective. Working the best you can literally means working "out from the soul." You are not working simply to pay the bills, please your boss, or pass time of day. God sets this job in front of you. When you do your job well, God notices, even if no one else does.

         This section of Colossians was originally directed toward slaves. It encouraged them to remain positive and productive, even if they were working in bondage under a tyrant. If a slave, who could be beaten even if he did a job well, could strive for excellence by  maintaining a Colossians 3:23 perspective, certainly it is something you can do in whatever job is facing you.

          Focus on God's perspective throughout the day and image at all times that he is your boss.

          Pray to God for wisdom to acknowledge that our work is done to glorify and honor him. May you be a blessing in all the work God has planned for you. ~ MME Team