His Work and Your Work

I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.  -John 17:4

Did you know that God has work for each one of us?  It is work to be started and finished by the time our lives are over here.  How many of us live with this awareness?  Part of the meaning found in life is through doing the work that God assigns to each one.

You might cut grass or lead a large company and the only thing that counts is are you doing what God has given you to do unto God's glory.  Is God being exalted through your work?

Did you know that the whole point of your life is God's glory?  It is the same as Jesus life.  God gave you this life to glorify Him.  How is that going?  We were not put here to figure things out or to live for pleasure.  We are here to participate in God's kingdom and bring glory to God.  Jesus showed the way and that is the path that we are all to be on.  The path of glorifying God.

We glorify God on earth by completing the work that God gave us to do.  God gives everyone work to do.  Do you know what God has given you to do?  What is your task?  What is your assignment?  We are saved unto good works.  You may describe your work as plural or multifaceted.  God has works for you.  

One man might be married, have children and grandchildren, lead a business, and lead a ministry.  Like Jesus, his primary focus in life is to follow God and glorify Him.  He has multifaceted work that God has given him to do.  Another person may be in mid-life and single with no children.  God gives this person work as well.  Both people are equally God's children and on earth and in heaven, their pay is the same in God's grace and love.

Jesus came to the end of his life on earth and he could say that he had finished the work God gave him to do.  Will you be able to say that?  Do you know your life's work and purpose?  Or will you be filled with regrets if you die any time soon?

Jesus was so present-future oriented that he could say that he had finished the work God gave him, even before he went to the cross, died, and rose from the dead.  Jesus had his "eyes on the prize".  The path to the cross is very painful and the cross itself was among the worst pain a human can experience.  The word excruciating comes from the pain of crucifixion.  

Jesus knew the torture that was coming.  He was aware of it.  As he got closer, he prayed to the Father and asked if there was any way to avoid it, but there was not and Jesus was obedient to let himself be tortured to death for the sins of the world.  And on the cross, Jesus declared, "it is finished".

We also have suffering to bear as we accomplish our work.  Heartbreak and "mission accomplished" go hand in hand.  God will supply the grace that is needed to accomplish the task, job, assignment, or work that He gives you to do.  We work out what He works in (Phil. 2:12-13), and remember that, "the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6)
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The graphic art picture above was borrowed from this article How to Recognize Your Life's Work
by Neal Skorpen.

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