Thankful that We are Special People in God's Sight, People Whose Labor is Important

In my personal daily devotions, I recently have been reading through 1 Chronicles. On Thursday, August 31, I read chapters 23-27. This section of God’s word named individuals in the Levitical tribe who served during the time of David. These five chapters contained a lot of names, and some bits of information about which groups served as priests, and about which groups of Levites took care of the gates, the treasury, the music and other tasks of keeping the Jewish faith active.

Now, some people may have a minds which revel in memorizing such details. My mind, however, focuses more on historic accounts, stories, and God’s activity in the lives of His people. It can seem that this long, LONG list of names does not include these accounts or stories. But, then as I read the devotional writing in my Bible Jane Fryar, based on these Scripture readings, the devotion made an important point about our relationships with God. “The Lord knew each of these, His children, by name. . . . Note that no review contains a sour note. The Lord kept track of their service, not their slip ups.” (Today’s Light Bible, ESV, page 580.)

Sometimes in the day-to-day routine of our lives, we forget how special we are in God’s sight. In addition, in a world of 8 billion people it can be easy to feel we do not make a difference. We can easily feel small, and unwanted. We often forget how the Lord uses our work, done because we believe that God loves us in Jesus.

A Christian friend of mine recently told me that they hoped to “feel wanted again.” There had been some losses in her life and I believe she was feeling small and unwanted. Therefore, please think about this wish of my friend, and consider the lists of Levites, as you also read these words Our Lord speaks to us in 1 Peter. “9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) We are wanted and we are special in God’s sight. He has chosen us, made us royalty, and made us holy through His Son. We belong to God Himself! And, our Lord gives us a purpose for our lives. God calls us to “declare the praises” of our Lord and His saving love. We deserve punishment for our selfishness and our sin. Yet, we have instead received the mercy of God. We are HIS people! Like the priests and Levites in David’s time, God knows us and our Lord delights in how His love works faith and godly service in our lives!

Please also consider God’s words in 1 Corinthians 15. The Lord inspired Paul to write this book, in part, because of all the troubles in this Christian congregation. Yet listen to what the Corinthians are told. “Therefore, my dear brothers, 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 15:58)

We each know our failings. Perhaps we therefore wonder how God can love us, and how He can use our feeble efforts. Nevertheless, our Lord sent His only Son. Jesus, the Son of God, suffered and died for us. We are loved and we are special, as Peter points out. The hum-drum nature of our lives can lead us to wonder if we are accomplishing anything. But, our Lord knows each of us by name. And, [our] labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Monday, September 4, the first Monday in September, was Labor Day, a national holiday for the United States. In the midst of the messages of this holiday concerning the Labor Movement is the bigger message, that our labor or service in this world is important and gives value to the world around us. This is especially true of our service of our Lord. We do make a difference, because Jesus lives in us, and we live for Him. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”