Laboring …
On this Labor Day weekend throughout North America, celebrated in both Canada and the United States as sort of a “final blast” ending the summer season, we thought it’d be fun to collect into a group several of the Scripture verses that reference “labor.”
As you read each one, take a moment to ponder the words and consider what the writer is saying as relates to your own life:
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Psalm 128:2
Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in slave labor.
Proverbs 12:24
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.
John 4:38
The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
I Corinthians 3:8
Laboring in Love …
While it is not known exactly who wrote these words, this portion of the final section of the Book of Proverbs … titled “Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character … certainly celebrates the wifely woman who does her share to keep the household functioning in a meaningful and credible manner. In those days, that demanded a great deal of labor on the part of every member of the family. As written in Proverbs 31, Verses 10 through 17:
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
Laboring In the Vineyard …
There’s a song written by Larry Petree and sung by Tony Gore & Majesty that’s received a great deal of play on enLighten in recent weeks which conveys the pure message of Jesus Christ … laboring for the Lord in the vineyard of the King:
There are grapes a plenty
And the vines are rich and green
Wondrous fruits abundant
The likes of which you’ve never seen
And we pray for harvest
While we watch and wait for spring
… and we labor in the vineyard of the KingAnd we sow and gather
We come bearing precious seed
We’ll need plenty water
Full supply for every need
Here no ones complaining
About the wage or anything
… for we labor in the vineyard of the KingFeel that good warm sunshine
Work the plow till the ground
There’s a yoke and burden
The lightest one you’ve ever found
And we go rejoicing
Sometimes laugh sometimes sing
… and we labor in the vineyard of the KingNow the seed’s the gospel
It's our work to spread it ’round
And the world's the vineyard
Any soul that can be found
And our King is Jesus
He’s now sitting on his throne
… just waiting for the harvest that we’ve sown!© 2009 Larry Petree
May the Lord bless you mightily this day as you labor in and for His Kingdom!
