Just Be Ready - Part 3

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, so that we would walk in them."    (Eph 2:10)

Hey Gang:  in November we returned for three weeks of volunteering at Voice of Martyrs in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  When we share about our volunteer experiences at VOM, people,

especially those in our age bracket, tend to look at us with suspicion.  I am seventy nine, my bride is seventy five, and we have earned, by world standards, the right to get the

 rocking chair out and just slowly start rocking.

 For some reason they do not see working eight hours a day, five days a week preparing mega-pieces of mail and whatever else needs doing, as something they want to do. 

Well, let me make a confession to you.  Ne-er do I!

If someone offered me a job making fifty dollars a minute to do this job, I would turn them down in a heart -beat.  So, why do we drive 873 miles, do hard physical labor for forty

hours a week when we could enjoy your retirement years in the convenience of our home which is heated by wood?  Let me tell you why:

First, I have searched the Scriptures to find an excuse for not doing it, but do not find a single reference where at a certain age we are given permission by Abba Father to retire.

I do not find the word "retire" in the Word! 

Second, I know we are saved by God's grace and the blood of our Lord.  No question that there is nothing we can do to assure our salvation except to believe and accept. However,

When believing and accepting CHRIST as Lord we also have a responsibility to be active about obeying his word and living a life reflecting his light and love,

 God did tell us that "Even before we were a conceived, God prepared the way for our salvation. But I also believe that, if I truly love someone, I will do all in my power to show that love. 

The Word is filled with commands, and I call them commands, to take care of widows and orphans.  And then there is the story of the Good Samaritan.  James puts it even more clearly

 when he wrote, "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22).  

Third, it is a truly blessing to be among folks who are like minded and willing to lay down their lives to serve God with the time and talents.  The director of the program has said time and

 again, ”Without the volunteer core who faithfully come and help get the word out that there are people who are being persecuted for their faith and we need to help them, they could not

complete the tasks or serve those in need.”

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Fourth, we have learned to love and respect those who labor at VOM and respect them for the sacrifices they make.  We have been blessed to see the talents of these young people and

privileged to include them in our immediate family of Believers.

Soooo, my young friends and neighbors, you can see that VOM is more than hard labor to my bride and me.  We have returned January 2013 for six additional weeks of hard labor. 

 And how do we know that is God's will for us at this time? Because he gives us the strength to complete  the tasks.  And finally, "effectual doer's will be blessed in what he does" ist Jesus for good works, which God prepared  beforehand  so that we would walk in them" (Eph. 2:10)