Labor Day is upon us,

and with it the celebration of workers who contribute their energy and skills to make our world a better place. Since time began, man has developed ways to work better and smarter. In the past decade, texting is one such invention; allowing people to communicate in short abbreviated messages.

Since many people will not be working on Monday, I thought perhaps this weekend would be a good time for us to catch up on important texting codes.

For Employees

• TTTB: Talking To The Boss
• AFAR: Asking For A Raise
• JTD:   Just Turned Down
• GGANJ: Gotta Get A New Job
• CWFTW: Can’t Wait For The Weekend

For Senior Citizens

• ATD: At The Doctor’s
• BTW: Bring The Wheelchair
• BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth
• CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center
• DWI: Driving While Incontinent
• FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
• LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out
• WMC: Where’s My Cane
• FOTF – ACGU: Fell On The Floor – And Can’t Get Up

For Moms

• APD:  At Play Date
• SMBPT: Spilled Milk Bring Paper Towels
• HHKDMC:  Hurry Home Kids Driving Me Crazy
• BAD:  Bring A Diaper
• WATG: Where Are the Goldfish
• YHWP:  Yeah He Went Potty
• TWGTS:  They Won’t Go To Sleep

For All

As convenient as the above texting codes are, there are other codes and messages that are important for us to keep close to our hearts and in our minds. Which is a good reminder for you today?

• FGSLTW: For God So Loved the World
• HGHOBS: He Gave His Only Begotten So
• TWBIH: That Whoever Believes In Him
• WNP: Will Not Perish
• BHEL: But Have Eternal Life
• GDSJ TJTW: God Didn’t Send Jesus To Judge The World
• BTTWMBSTH: But That The World Might Be Saved Through Him
• FAHS:  For All Have Sinned
• AFSOGG: And Fall Short of God’s Glory
• IYCWYM: If You Confess With Your Mouth
• JIL: Jesus As Lord
• ABIYH: And Believe In Your Heart
• GRHFTD: God Raised Him From The Dead
• YWBSL: You Will Be Saved
• GMJBL&C: God Made Jesus Both Lord & Christ
• TJWYC: This Jesus Whom You Crucified
• NWTHT: Now When They Heard This
• TWPTTH: They Were Pierced To The Heart
• ASWCWD: And Said What Can We Do
• APA: And Peter Answered
• R&BBIJCN: Repent & Be Baptized In Jesus Christ’s Name
• FTFOYS: For The Forgiveness Of Your Sins
• AYWR: And You Will Receive
• TGOTHS: The Gift Of The Holy Spirit

People send messages in all kinds of ways. God does, too.

God loves us, but  our sin separates us from Him. However, we can receive His message of love and respond. We can repent of our sin and turn to Jesus as Lord of our life.  We can pray…

What Message from Christ do you need to hear today?

Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about us. Thank You for providing Jesus, who took responsibility for paying our sin debt. Thank You for the gift of forgiveness and eternal life. In Jesus’s name, Amen. 

Scripture References

John 3:16-17, Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9, Acts 2:36-38

“Lord, this is a mess,” I complained to my Heavenly Father;

while staring at the huge stack of papers in my hands.  No sooner had the words come out of my mouth, that I sensed His reprimand, “It’s not a mess. It’s holy. I’ve given it to you over the last year.”

Convicted of my bad attitude, I looked at the stack of papers and understood how wrongly I’d viewed them. What God had given me for a new Bible study was not a mess. The hours of study, prayer, and writing was holy.

God reminded me that what we do in His will is to be treated as holy.

For instance, our children’s lives may appear to be a mess. Our marriage may appear to be a mess. Our business may appear to be a mess. Our volunteer commitments may appear to be mess. But, are any of those “messes” if they’re God-ordained responsibilities He’s entrusted to us? Hardly. Yet, do we sometimes treat them as “things” to get done; “wearisome” meetings; “burdensome” to do lists; or sometimes even “boring”? Possibly.

You Are Significant to God

The Seamstress and the Priest

I was reminded of a verse God used years ago to show me that no person and no task is insignificant in His kingdom.  It’s Exodus 28.3, “You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to me.”

This verse points to the value that God places on people and the work to which He calls them. Consider the following:

1. God knows us as individuals… the seamstress and the priest.
2. God values us and our work in His kingdom.
3. God takes it upon Himself to endow us with “the spirit of wisdom” to do that to which He calls us.

If you continue reading in Exodus 28, you find the incredible detail that God dictated to the seamstresses for how the high priest’s garments should be designed and sewn,

The Workers of Walls and Gates

Another example of God’s interest in individuals and and taking note of their “daily grind” in “messes” is found in the book of Nehemiah. The walls of Jerusalem were literally a mess – fallen, toppled stones, burned gates, rubble to the point that when Nehemiah was doing his initial inspection of the condition of the walls, his house could not pass through a portion of it. When he was mocked for setting his mind to rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, Nehemiah answered, “The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build…” Nehemiah 2:20.

God saw every person who dug in and worked on what looked to be a “mess,” but God had chosen to bless. The names of those who tackled the “mess to blessed” project are listed along with the exact part of the wall on which they worked: Eliashib – Sheep Gate, Hassenaah’s son – Fish Gate, Meredith made repairs, Joiada – Old Gate, Malchijah – Tower of Furnaces, Hanun – Valley Gate, Malchijah – Refuse Gate. There are many more names listed in Nehemiah 2-3.

We could read page by page from Genesis to Revelation of God noticing individuals and seeing from heaven their labor in the day in, day out grind of life. Most importantly, we note that not only did God see the individuals in their labors, but He was on their side, gave them favor, and blessed them.

What is you labor of love today? Is it raising children, being a caregiver, faithfully showing up at a job that isn’t’ easy and takes every ounce of your strength to tackle?  Today, look at the work of your hands; then lift them to God and ask Him to give you eyes to see that the work of your hands is holy and being done “unto Him.”

Heavenly Father, to us and to others, it may appear we’re simply “digging in” to a job; but to You, with Your eyes on us and our work, it is holy. Help us serve You well and take note of every blessing You give us. In Jesus’s name, amen.

“But of the SON He says,

Hebrews 1:8-9

Recently, I watched a friend prepare a salad. First, she washed and dried the lettuce leaves. Next she tore them into pieces. But the salad wasn’t ready to be served. She took a bottle of olive oil and poured it on the lettuce to flavor it. As Christians, Christ has washed us and put us in places of service in our homes and work places. Sometimes we may feel as the lettuce – torn and shredded. But we must always remember that Christ, whom God anointed with the OIL OF GLADNESS, lives in us. We can pray, “pour Yourself upon me.” When we do, we’ll experience Christ’s OIL OF GLADNESS giving our lives a heavenly flavor…even if we’re torn and shredded.

Lord Jesus Christ, I praise You! Pour Your OIL of GLADNESS upon me so others taste the joy of You in my life.