The Power to Tackle Drudgery

February 19, 2021 at 6:49 AM

‘Arise, shine!’ (Isaiah 60:1, NIV)

Thank God for His mercy and grace. Through Jesus Christ, I’m someone who has stepped out of darkness and walks in light. God’s redemption saves me from sin and death, changing my status from sinner to righteous. God’s glorious light has changed my life and continues to do so.

I’ve received God’s grace, and it’s only right to glorify Him in my life.

Glorifying God means letting the glory that changed and renewed my life shine naturally through my words and actions. It’s about living a ’new life,’ where ‘it’s no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,’ before those around me — family, friends, and coworkers.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was unaware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34:29-30, NIV)

Shining is not emitting my own light, since I have no light within; it’s reflecting God’s light on me. Shining isn’t for my own benefit because I’m already a recipient of God’s light.

Revealing God’s glorious light is a sacred task, yet the starting point often involves ordinary, small, tedious, and seemingly insignificant or lowly acts.

The same action, something mundane, small, tedious, or lowly, when done by someone bathed in God’s glory, when done by a heart willing to shine for the Lord, looks completely different and brings entirely different benefits and impacts on those around. This difference is shining.

Lord, renew my perspective and mindset to see the ordinary and small things around me and my day-to-day work as opportunities to arise and shine for You. Because, Lord Jesus, You are my example. To manifest the glory of the Father and redeem me (and humanity), You descended from the glorious throne into the flesh of human beings. This was the most humble and humiliating work, yet it was the greatest and most glorious work.

Gratefulness

Thank God for the inspiration and guidance as we’ve decided to have a third child. Also thankful for the wonderful examples set by other Christian families with three or four children around us. Having a third child comes with many challenges: fines for exceeding the birth limit, our physical condition (we’re both 38), the work of raising a child, and concerns about the child’s health. May the Lord help us. ‘God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”’ (Genesis 1:28, NIV)
Thank God for guiding us in our first family devotions after the Spring Festival. Although short (a hymn, I shared my morning devotional, and each of us prayed in turn), it was moving and fruitful.
Thank God for guiding Eather. She prayed that although she doesn’t want to listen to or obey her parents’ teachings and suggestions, she asks the Lord to help her change.