Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.“  NKJV

I wish I had a nickel for every time someone has said to me, “If only I could serve the Lord full time” I’d be a very rich man.  However that is not the focus of what I want to convey in this devotional.  I have always had a question for people who said that to me, “When are you not serving the Lord full time?”  Most of the time I would get the look of a calf walking up to a new gate or a deer in the headlights look acting as if I had somehow fallen out of a well.  What?  That’s what I asked, “When are you not serving the Lord full time?”

The usual response is, “Well you know what I mean full time Christian service.”  I usually respond, “When are you not in full time Christian service?”  I was not and am not trying to be contentious and frustrate but if I understand the teachings of Scripture correctly we are to do ALL WE DO unto the Lord so if we are Christians we are Christians ALL THE TIME.  That means whether I am a pastor, evangelist or some other labor that is deemed Christian ministry or am a businessman, janitor, factory worker, fisherman, etc.  I am still a Christian ALL THE TIME, right?  If that is the case then whatever I do I am doing ‘as unto the Lord’ and doing it to bring honor to Him.  Therefore, I and you are in FULL TIME Christian service we just may not all serve as preachers yet we all preach through our lives and labors.

Rather than compartmentalizing your life let your life be your life and realize that whether at work or play, in the secular world or in a church function you are in FULL TIME Christian service.  You are both a representation and manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ to this world.  I suggest that if you do not consider what you do for a living a ‘service unto the Lord’ you might want to consider changing vocations.  If we, as believers, would strive to be the very best we can be as laborers and examples of godliness we will find that either our employers will find us too valuable to let go or launch a campaign against us because of the Christ in us and either way God will come to our rescue.  It may be His way of opening a new door for us and it may be His way of touching the hard hearts of those around us.

I know what it is like to have an employer or boss launch a campaign against me simply because the spirit in him and the spirit in me collided without a word being said.  The day he walked onto the job I knew he would seek to get rid of me.  He could not, for my performance endeared me to the owner and this man’s superiors but that did not prevent him from trying.  I sought to be an example of godliness in all that I said and did and one of his reasons for attacking me is I would not lie to customers although he demanded that I do so.

Do I fail?  Of course I am a flawed vessel but that is not a justification for failing and does not make me a failure it only serves to make me more aware of my need for the Spirit of God in my life.  I pray the prayer of David continuously:  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  11 Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.” (Psalms 51:10-13)

            May God be with you as you go through your day!