Strength Training

 

Be strong,

all you people of the land,

      declares the LORD,

Work,

     for I am with you,

declares the LORD of hosts.

...My Spirit

       remains in your midst.

   Fear not.

            Haggai 2. 4-5

(Go into this appointed task,

this work that God has

       placed before us,

knowing that He is with us

             in our midst,

even in what may not

                  make sense

or seems without

    any significance at all.

Be strong in ancient Hebrew

means to take courage

and to be strengthened

             through it,

to fasten oneself upon,

to become stronger,

take hold of it,

restore, rebuild, repair.

We are changed

        by the doing.

Serving the LORD in our work,

whatever it is,

by doing the work faithfully

(and as my son-in-law says,

           with a happy heart),

profoundly shifts

the tectonic plates

             of this broken world.

Becoming stronger

  is always an unexpected side order

          of faithfulness.)

O LORD,

We are overwhelmed

  and sometimes underwhelmed

by the work

    that needs to be done.

Help us to be faithful to You

  and strengthened by You,

knowing that

all work is used by You,

    every good endeavor,

  in ways we cannot yet

  comprehend.

And You are right here

                 with us.

Help us today

    to get to work

and glorify You in it.