Ephesians 1 ‘Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.’
Paul would labour with a passion and an energy that went way further than his own natural strengths.
Colossians 1:29 ‘To this end I labour, struggling with all his energy which so powerfully works in me.’
The word used here for ‘labour’, in the Koine Greek, is ‘kopos’ which denotes ‘striking’. The image I have here is of a blacksmith, wielding his hammer upon the anvil, beating with a natural rhythm but finding an inner force also working within him. Or perhaps a gardener wielding a bill-hook, allowing the balance and weight of the hook to scythe the long grass.
It is for this reason that some are driven to serve the Lord, even though they may see no obvious results.
The missionary will leave his home and labour in fields far away; the evangelist will preach the gospel and be mocked by the crowds; the preacher will preach his socks off to rows of empty pews; the writer will wrestle with words that few will read and the neighbour will bless the street where he lives and be greeted by derision and suspicion.
In the midst of their blessings and their disappointments, there is an energy working within all of them that is greater than themselves that keeps them going.
They have all become servants of the gospel and relinquished their right to live a selfish and self-serving life. They have immersed themselves in the all-consuming will of God.
Thank you for reading this. To read my short e-book The Radiant King on the first chapter of Revelation please push the blue button:
And my previous posts:
- Revelation 22:20 Our cherished hope
There will be a unity of heart when everyone calls out for his glorious return. There will be a spirit of grace upon God’s people that will bring us all together in unity and brotherhood. - Revelation 22:16 God’s Word
No-one has a monopoly on the truths of this magnificent book, and we will all have our struggles and misunderstandings on our journey, but God is demanding that we treat Revelation with the utmost respect that it deserves. The truths that were sealed in Daniel’s time will be opened up according to God’s direction. This will need purified and refined souls to understand and teach, in the midst of immense confusion and mistruths. Please pray for those who are called to understand and teach. - Revelation 22:11 In or Out…
Even at this late stage, a reference to the polarity of mankind, between the righteous and the unrighteous. One thinks of Noah’s Ark, and the obedient who were safe inside and those who chose to ignore Noah’s call for righteousness and stayed outside. - Revelation 22:7 The time is near indeed
Having taken us to the very highest of heights, surveying the Holy City that is beautiful beyond words, John brings us back to our ordinary lives, waiting with a cherished expectation for our Lord to return and keeping the words of this prophecy, with all its encouragements, admonishments and warnings. - Revelation 22:3 No longer any curse
Peter praised his contemporaries for their faith in Christ Jesus although they had never met him in real life and had only heard of him through Peter. Imagine though, what it will feel like, approaching the throne and gazing into the eyes of the Divine, to reach out and touch the very hem of his garment. It will be beyond belief…
Revelation 34 