Labour For The Lord

CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED FROM DEATH, AS THE GUARANTEE THAT THOSE WHO SLEEP IN DEATH WILL ALSO BE RAISED. 1 Corinthians 15.20.

ONCE I gave the message at the funeral service of a very dear old friend and fellow servant of the Lord. He was only a few weeks away from his 85th birthday!. At the age of 50+, he took optional retirement and began serving the Lord and the church ‘full-time!’ Relentlessly, he laboured ‘almost single-handedly’ and built one of the finest churches in the land, in membership and building. It was heartening to hear from the younger leaders of the church how this man had brought up and moulded each of them from their Sunday School days!

None of us who spoke or testified about this man expressed any disappointment at his passing away into the presence of the Lord in glory. Our reason was solid, “Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised”. We had the assurance that our dear brother will rise again in the last day when “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thes 4.16).

The immortal words of that soldier of the Lord, Paul, were quoted by some, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim 4.7,8).

Easter was just round the corner. The message of the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour was already in the air. As we lowered his mortal remains into the grave, we were looking up into the cloudy sky wishing, “Come Lord Jesus. Come soon bringing all Your saints with You. Come and take us too, to be with You!”

Fondly remembering my dear friend Henry's faithfulness and arduous labour for the Lord and the people, I had only one last thing to do. I did it. Quoting the words of the apostle Paul I encouraged all his friends gathered in the chapel, “So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, (like dear Henry) since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless” (v.58).

Dear believer, ‘No labour for the Lord and His kingdom, no lasting gain!’

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, however busy I may be in my daily life, help me to seek first Your kingdom and do what is right, laying up treasures in heaven, which will not be lost! Amen.