Blog Layout
Going Above and Beyond
Andrea Lende • November 5, 2020
I Corinthians 15:58
Going Above and Beyond
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Going-Above-and-Beyond-em2rt0
I Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose].”
Going above and Beyond.
Paul was encouraging the people in Corinth.
He told them to be firm and unwavering.
He told them to serve the Lord with excellence.
Doing more than what was expected of them.
And that nothing they did would be wasted.
The Lord wastes nothing.
He uses every moment, every circumstance, every person, every trial, every difficulty, and every triumph for His glory.
God uses everything.
Even when we disobey Him, He uses that too.
Everything is His.
As I read this verse today, I thought about how hard I have worked all my life.
I cannot think of a time when I didn’t give all I had to whatever project it was that I was working on.
I wasn’t always working on the right project, but I did give it all the energy I had.
And even if it may not have the right project, the Lord didn’t waste the opportunity to teach me and ready me for His purpose during that time.
As I look back, I can see the Lord used every second of my life to teach me something that I need right now.
Paul was a religious zealot.
He worked tirelessly at his position in life.
He just needed a little redirecting.
The Lord could use him in an extraordinary way with a shift in mindset because Paul had energy and was a driven individual.
Paul’s words in this scripture are still accurate today.
Stand strong.
Be firm.
Do not waver.
The Lord does not waste anything in His economy.
Even if we get discouraged and don’t see results, the Lord is working.
Continue to be diligent in your efforts.
The Lord will bless them.
No matter what it looks like right now, the Lord will bless your efforts.
Be steadfast and He will use all your efforts to His glory.
Today I choose to remain steadfast and strong in the Lord as I continue to do His work.
May you find that as you continue to be diligent in your work that the Lord will bless you and none of your effort will be wasted.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that my efforts for You will not be wasted. Thank You for reminding me to be strong, unwavering, and diligent in my work. Strengthen me in every way, Lord, so I am able to continue doing all You ask me to do. Help me go above and beyond what is expected of me today and every day, Lord. Help me do more than I think is even possible. Continue to inspire me as I move forward with Your work, Father. Instill a strong work ethic in my spirit and help me work hard each day. Go before me and light the path that I should follow. Help me walk a straight line to You, Lord, so I do not wander in the darkness. When I feel inadequate and less than enough, help me know You are the Light and Love that is more than enough. Increase my faith and confidence in You as I live each day and conquer the obstacles in my way. May You bless others through me, Father. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you in all you do, My child, and I will light the way for you.
Response: Thank You, Almighty and gracious God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.