Being Diligent for Our Lord and Others
Written by Sarah Ann E. 

 

Now, diligence is an area that all of us can greatly improve on. We all have a tendency to be either lazy or too busy. Both are not good. When we are lazy, we tend to get into trouble one way or another. We also could find things to do, but do not feel like it. Then, when you are too busy, maybe even serving with the Lord, we do not take time to spend personal time with our Lord.

Recently I have been reading through “A Place of Quite Rest” by Nancy DeMoss. This book encourages you in “finding intimacy with God through a daily devotional life.” I want to concentrate on our diligence with our devotions today, because I know that this is a weak point in my walk with the Lord, and in talking to other LIW girls, it is their weak point too. Let us compare Mary and Martha to the virtuous woman of diligence. Now in our human eyes, Martha seemed to be the one that was diligent. She was busy preparing the meal for the Lord and other guests. She was being a good hostess, so it seemed. Then Martha seemed to get perturbed that Mary was not helping her. Notice whom she directs her complaint to, it was not to Mary, but to the Lord. “Lord, don’t You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving alone?” (Luke 10:40). Nancy DeMoss says, “When we become preoccupied with earthly things rather than eternal matters, we become resentful, self-centered, and angry.” I think all of us know this is true by experience. We HAVE to take time, like Mary, to sit at our Lord’s feet and forget about the cares of this world. I know personally, that if I do not do this at the beginning of my day, then my outlook on the rest of the day is not in line with my dear Lord. It is a personal choice to have an intimate relationship with our Lord. Our time with Him NEEDS to be at the top of our priority list, which makes it first in the day. Nancy DeMoss says this about our relationship with God. “God is a Lover who created us for relationship with Himself. That is what the Christian life is all about. It’s not about all the things we do for God—it’s about being loved by Him, loving Him in return, and walking in intimate union and communion with Him.” Our works mean nothing to Him if we do not LOVE Him intimately. Our intimacy with Him is TOP priority.

Proverbs 31:13-24, 27 speaks of the many things that the virtuous woman does. “She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

Notice in the first verse that she does all these things willingly. She works with pleasure and delight. She does not begrudge all these things that she has to do. I can just hear her whistling about her work or even singing. She is happy to serve her family and the Lord. Yet, while doing all these things, she could be praying and communing with her Lord. Yes, we can be busy being a Martha, but we must make sure that our Lord is FIRST in everything—in every thought, action, and word. We MUST have our Mary time.

We must be diligent with what the Lord has placed into our lap to do for each day. I challenge you to be diligent with the tasks that the Lord has given you to do, until it is done. Do it cheerfully and while doing it, think thoughts after our dear Lord. Let us all be diligent in our relationship with our Lord, first of all, and then in all the things He has given us to do.

 

 

 

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