Workin’ Hard
“Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.” -Isaiah 49:4
Here we see a measure of true success. For the prophet Isaiah, speaking of the coming Messiah, has said of His ministry “I have labored in vain…” That is to say, in outward terms, leading just up to His crucifixion, it appeared as though He had labored in vain, and many of the people indeed hardened their hearts against Christ’s message.
Yet the prophet continues, and shows how even though things may appear to be a failure outwardly, if we’ve obeyed God, we have done all we can, and are successful in our endeavors. For Isaiah continues, describing the glory that is to come, despite the outward discouragement:
“Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.” -Isaiah 49:5b
The main focus is not on final results, but on doing the right thing for God, and staying in His will. As it has been said so many times in the past: “it’s not if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Yet in all of God’s work, there’s always a balance.
Working for the Lord
Let’s take a closer look at the verse once more, this time trying to see the other side of the coin:
“Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.” -Isaiah 49:4
You’ll noticed two things that the Lord’s servant did in this passage:
1) He labored
2) Spent his strength
Far too often, I believe that Christians today only give a half-hearted effort, and then use the excuse that they can only attempt the Lord’s work, and it is up to Him to prosper it. While this is technically true, God always demands of us to work hard. He wants us to give Him our all.
“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” -Deuteronomy 10:12-13
God commands us to serve Him with all our hearts. While it is very much true that the ultimate spiritual success is in God’s hands, we are also under the obligation to labor for our Master diligently. Only then can we approach Him, and rest from our labors, and say that we’ve done all that we can. Only when we’ve taken ourselves to the very limits of our endurance and patience, and worked our hardest for His kingdom, can we say that it’s truly in the Lord’s hands.
“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” -Colossians 3:23-24
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