Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, 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 have a new King, and we are called to live into His new kingdom. Those who encounter the risen Christ are, like Paul, changed, and this in turn changes not only our inner life but how we address the world around us. Christians, justified and liberated by our risen Lord, are called to do unexpected deeds that challenge people and transform communities. And because of Christ’s resurrection, none of this work is in vain…
When Jesus refashions the world by His resurrection, He does so in a way that surprises, offends, and delights us. Jesus envisions a world flipped upside down, or better, right side up. The dead are made alive, the foolish are wise, the humble are exalted, the hungry are filled, and the poor are made rich. Jesus invites us to affirm the goodness of creation without denying the harsher realities of our sin-soaked world.”
Kelly Kapic in God So Loved, He Gave: Entering the Movement of Divine Generosity (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) 178-179.
It’s been a week since we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. Our life in Him propels us to grasp life in His kingdom and to help others around us experience it too. Outside our townhouse, the blooming tree and the blue sky (pictured above) remind me of the life we have in Christ and how beautiful it is!
What about you? Are you encouraging people to grasp life in the kingdom where you are? Take some time in solitude today to give thanks to God again for the resurrection and for the life we have as a result. Ask God what “unexpected deeds” He might have in store for you. Resolve to give yourself to His work.