Laborers Together With God

It's such a wonderful gift to be a Child of God. To be His bride. To be His friend. 

But how wonderful it is to also be a laborer with God. To our ears it might not sound as "glorious" as the previous relations I mentioned, but to the one walking in the spirit- it's a joyous & humbling truth. 

 For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:9

A laborer is traditionally defined in most dictionaries as someone who does work that requires physical strength rather than skill or training. 

When I read the definition I could't help but smile & shake my head. Isn't it so true Beloved!? Just as a farmer relies more on his physical strength to accomplish his work, so do we in a sense. Laborers with God rely more on spiritual strength (strength from God) than anything else to accomplish the work before them. The farmer is obviously skilled & trained in his area of work, but that is NOT what he relies on. Skill & training is not much help if he has a broken leg. He needs that physical strength. Skill & training is not much help if you're in a complacent walk with God. We need that spiritual strength. We need to depend on Him. We need that intimacy with the Father. We need that extra "oompf" if you will. Passion, endurance, strength, love, perspective, purpose, etc- it is all from Him & for Him. With God we walk so that with God we can work. I have not found it possible to walk this straight & narrow relying on my own strength or abilities, let alone do any kind of fruitful lasting work for God's kingdom through my own strength or abilities. 

Do you have a degree? Do you have talents? Good people skills? Are you a hard worker? All are great & useful but I could ask it all & we'd still miss the point. The real question is, are you laboring through the strength & power of God? Are you walking with Him? Are you laboring with God at all? What are you relying on today? 

Many have walked laboring with God. Moses was one of these laborers. He was not skilled. He was not eloquent. He had no experience leading a people. It did not matter. God chose him. God taught him. God worked through him. God went before Him. Peter was one of these laborers. He was not skilled. He was a fisherman. He had no experience as a disciple. It did not matter. Christ chose him. Christ taught him. Christ worked through him. Christ went before him. 

Beloved, God is not looking for the skilled. God is looking for the willing. He will strengthen, teach, guide, & reward His laborers. God is using the ones who refuse to search for confidence & ability in anyone or anything apart from Him. Be careful judging yourself or others. God will use whom he pleases & who are we to be used by Him? We get the opportunity to be a part of the most important work on this earth. What a privilege. Don't walk through this life without ever embarking on the journey to labor with God. It's hard work. It's all-consuming work. It's not always "fast" work, but it's always work that will have a lasting impact for all eternity... And what better work to be a part of than that! Be encouraged in the strength of God weary & unskilled laborer. Be challenged in the call of God you who are complacent or self-reliant. God wants YOU laboring with Him & He wants to show you what a incomparable journey it will be. Don't miss out. We are laborers together. 

• 1 Corinthians 3:5-15