August 23

The Equilibrium Of Life

With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. — Acts 2:46-47 BSB

In every life, there should be both the worship of the Temple and the service of the Home. Do we recognize that God directs both our spiritual life and our everyday responsibilities? Just as the Temple is part of God’s plan, so is the Home. Even something as ordinary as a daily meal can be as sacred as the Lord’s Supper. Do you take your food “with gladness and sincerity of heart,” or do you complain about it? Do you perform your daily tasks with joy and gratitude? This becomes possible when we realize that life’s greatness is not found in doing grand things but in doing small things with great care. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

Our lives are often compared to weavers of Gobelin tapestries, working with seemingly dull, ordinary threads on the underside of the fabric. It’s only when the tapestry is finished that the workers can admire the beautiful design fit for a king’s palace. So it is with our lives: “We work, we suffer, and we cannot see the end or the results. But God sees, and when He releases us from our task, He will reveal to our astonished eyes what He, the great Artist, has woven out of what now seems so monotonous.”

The early Christians were filled with joy, even as they gave up their possessions. Their generosity and joy likely earned them favor with the people around them. True gladness comes not from being served but from serving others. Life is a balance of give and take, and we must learn to give as freely as we take. When we praise God for everything, and share in the joys of others, we will discover the secret to living joyfully and gladly.

Prayer

O Lord, renew our spirits and draw our hearts to You so that our work will not feel like a burden but a delight. Fill us with such a love for You that it sweetens all our obedience. Amen.