Watch Work Or Waste

The grace God has given to you is meant to have an effect. Let grace turn your heart to Jesus and give you the strength to do God's work.

“When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God... Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans...and compelled them by force to stop. Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill"‭‭ Ezra‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-24

The heart is revealed in how we respond. At first glance, you wonder why the people of Judah did not want help in building the temple, but the text shows they made the right choice. As soon as their offer to help was rejected, the outside people actively worked to oppose the very thing they offered to build. Grown men acting like children. It is like the petulant child who does not get their way, so they take the ball from the middle of the game and go home.

Their response said everything about their heart, and so does ours. It is easy to stand in judgment of the people whose offer to build the temple was rejected. But consider your own actions. You have been set free from the penalty of sin by the grace of Jesus Christ, and you have been invited to advance the kingdom of God. What has your response been? What should it be? Do you let grace go to waste, or do you share the goodness of God every chance you get? Building the temple is for all of us, but many people will actually oppose the building if it is not done their way, according to their preferences, or in their timing. They let grace go to waste. Will we? What will our response to grace be today? There is work to be done. Will we let it stop?

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107‬:‭1‬-‭3‬, ‭6‬-‭11‬, ‭14‬-‭15‬, ‭17‬-‭21‬, ‭28‬-‭31‬, ‭41‬-‭43‬ ‭

Long before Jesus ever set foot on our planet, scholars believe it was an exile who had returned who wrote this song of praise. He said, let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Repeatedly, he said the redeemed should give thanks and let the world know of the goodness of God. Each of us has been saved by grace through faith. It is a gift. Nothing earned. Nothing deserved. The saving grace of Jesus Christ is the most beautiful gift you will ever receive, and it was given to guide you to eternal life. The resurrected life. To unity and oneness with the Father. Take time to think of the grace you have been given.

Your story matters. God met you at your place of need during your time of distress, and He bought you back. He brought you home. He broke your chains. He lit up the darkness. Jesus stilled the storms and gave you hope. How will you respond? The upright rejoice while the wicked stay silent. That may seem harsh if you are not much of a talker, but the truth is you were set free so you could bring freedom to others. You were healed so you could bring healing. You were saved so you could help someone else find salvation. The redeemed have a responsibility to share their story so others could find right standing and the resurrected life as well.

“How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince’s daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of an artist’s hands. Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel. Your hair is like royal tapestry; the king is held captive by its tresses. I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me. The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my beloved.” ‭‭Song of Songs‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-13

There is an incredible connection today between the passage in Song of Songs and the very famous passage in Romans 10, where it is written that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe Jesus was raised from the dead, you will be saved. In that same passage, it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news, for it invites the reader to consider how anyone can know about Jesus unless someone shares their resurrection story.

People do not often think of feet as beautiful. In fact, many people call them dogs or desire to hide them away. But feet are functional and are given to us for a purpose. Feet help us travel, train, and move toward a destination. How will you use your feet today? Will you let Jesus direct your steps? Before we are ever sent, we must stand in the place of grace where we believe that we are fully known and fully loved. The bride knows she is the beloved and belongs to the bridegroom. As followers of Jesus, we are invited to the same celebration. The wedding banquet of bride and groom, where we experience belonging and blessing. But what good is a party if it is only with two people? We are meant to share, invite, and blast trumpets so that others would taste and see the grace of God.

“The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man...make him their watchman...he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood...I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!...if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin...that person will surely live; they will not die...My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice...to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs...for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.”‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭33‬:‭1‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬, ‭11‬, ‭14‬-‭16‬, ‭30‬-‭32‬

Imagine standing before God and having Him show you all the people who perished who could have been saved if you had shared your story. Could there be a worse feeling? More than any shame you could experience for any sin you have committed, imagine the feeling of letting another person die. You would never stand by and watch a child drown or sit back while someone's life was in peril. Why do we ever spiritually sit back while others head toward death by choosing to be silent?

God tells Ezekiel to be loud. Sound the trumpet. Trumpets are not quiet, nor should we be. He said if you warn them and they do not listen, then you have done your job. But if you do not warn them and they die, then their blood is on your head. Is that how we look at the world around us? Are we okay with people dying? Is grace the best gift we have been given? Do we believe that Jesus has the power to transform anyone from death to life? If so, why would we ever be silent? Ezekiel is told to call out the believers, the people who know the message but do not put into practice the commands they have been given. God's desire is that no one would perish. His is a plan of redemption. He is building the temple and bringing the kingdom through every heart and mouth willing to tell their redemption story.

“By this gospel you are saved...Christ died for our sins...he was buried...he was raised on the third day...he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve...by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. I worked harder...how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith...I face death every day...Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character...What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power...flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God...we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed...Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ...stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭2‬-58

Grace had an effect on Paul. It changed him. He encountered Jesus and was transformed by the love of God. The man who had persecuted people became the messenger of grace to billions of people. All because the grace of God had an effect. Paul encountered the risen Christ and lived the resurrected life. He was raised from death to life, and he told everyone he could about Jesus. His life was never the same. This chapter is an example of one of the redeemed telling his story, just like in Psalm 107.

Paul responded to the call to participate in the work of God. He did not work out of obligation. He worked because every life matters. Every person matters to God. Paul was blind, but grace opened his eyes. It brought him to life. He tasted and saw the sweetness of salvation, and in response, he shared his story. Will we? Will we let others know that there is no prodigal who is not welcome home, no addict who cannot be freed, and no one who is too far gone for grace to heal them?

Jesus gave His life for you so that you could give good news to others. Your feet could be like the beautiful sandaled feet of those who share the gospel. Let that truth change how you live. There is a world full of people who need to know the love of Jesus. People who are hurting, searching, struggling, and longing to belong. Isolation is an epidemic, and the enemy is really good at isolating people because of their past or present sin. Jesus is pursuing every lost son and daughter, and so should we.

You have a story to tell and a work to do. Look out like the watchman and warn those headed in the wrong direction. You are a worker for Christ. Very clearly, He told us to help those in need physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We are not meant to stand on the sidelines or be silent. This is not a job just for paid professionals. So sound the trumpet and tell your redemption story. Someone needs to know how you made it through the hardest days. The same Jesus who redeemed you wants to bring redemption through you.

Will you let the grace of God go to waste, or will you declare, God, Your will be done? One of the best ways you can give thanks to God for all He has done is to give yourself fully to the work He has placed before you. You walk and work from a place of victory. So be bold. Let grace have an effect, and do not let another day go by. Stand firm in the knowledge that you are loved, give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, and remember that working for the Lord is never a waste of time.