Closing out November, Dr. Nana Boadum preaches "27 reasons why we must do the work of God with joy" — a year-end realignment to the church's one mission. From "the Lord is not willing that any should perish" to Paul's "my life is worth nothing unless I use it for finishing the work," the reasons stack into a single charge from Philippians 2:12: work hard to show the result of your salvation.
The seven movements
- Psalm 103 on-ramp — believe the benefits. Forgiveness, healing, redemption, loving-kindness, youth renewed like the eagle's. Moses' eye undimmed, Caleb as strong at 85 as at 40 — receive the word daily and live under the higher law of God's word, not merely the natural one (Psalm 103:1-5; Joshua 14:11).
- Reason 1 — the Lord's desire. He is not willing that any should perish. That desire sent the Son, and it defines every work in God's house: souls saved, saints grown into Christ-likeness (2 Peter 3:9).
- The Head's vision is the body's vision. Christ is the head of the church; the body cannot have a different agenda than the head. Make disciples of all nations — and He is with us always (Colossians 1:18; Matthew 28:19-20).
- Saved to save; sent as ambassadors. We rescue others as from the flames; we are Christ's ambassadors, God pleading through us. The fire-in-the-bones zeal others misread is a higher power at work (Jude 23; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
- It's a must — and it's now. "I must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day." Faith is now-faith; salvation's day is today; Zacchaeus heard "today." Your sending may even have come disguised as a disappointment, like Joseph's — you have been sent (John 9:4; Hebrews 11:1; Genesis 45:5-8).
- Light-bearers and the fragrance of Christ. As long as we are in the world we are its light — on the lampstand, not under the basket. Work hard to show the result of your salvation, without complaining, shining in a crooked generation, so the fragrance of Christ diffuses in every place and every conversation (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:12-16; 2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
- No excuses; finish the work. Paul made tents across nations and never stopped ministering — your career is a platform, not an exemption, and the Bema seat will weigh the works. "My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me: telling others the good news of the wonderful grace of God" (Acts 18:3; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Acts 20:24).
Walk away with this
Imagine the commission left with your church of seventy, by name — because it was. Put the degree, the job, and the schedule on the altar, embrace the ambassador's identity, and enter the new year doing the work of God with joy: now, as light, until it's finished.