1 Corinthians 15:58

Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Some people hate washing
dishes because more dirty dishes magically appear over night. Sweeping and
vacuuming are the same way. Things never stay clean. Someone is always tracking
dirt on your carpet. Is there no end? You get discouraged. It's only when you
consider the alternatives that you get out your Hoover vacuum cleaner and have
another go at it.

Your wife may not keep track of how often you change the spark plugs. Your
husband has no idea of how often you have to dust. But God keeps track of our
faithfulness in His work. He sees us serving Him when no one else sees. And seeing
us hanging in there brings joy to his heart. Our Christian service is not done in vain
for three reasons:

1. Christ's kingdom is built on your service, stone upon stone, act of kindness
upon teaching the Junior boys Sunday school class, serving refreshments upon
spending time with a grief-stricken believer.

2. Seeing your faithful service brings joy to God's heart.

3. God will reward you for your faithfulness, even when no one else sees. His
ledger book gets fresh notations every time you serve Him. In a word, your labor is
not in vain in the Lord.

Yes, I get discouraged and so do you. But God keeps bringing us back to this verse
to buck us up and help us to see the importance of faithful service. Don't give up.
Your labor in Christ is not in vain.

"...knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."

One thing we know when we work for God -- we are working for the best purpose we
could ever find. It's a spiritual purpose, it's an eternal purpose, and it's a godly
purpose. I can't help but be reminded of the following verse.

2 Tim 1:12 - "For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I
know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have
entrusted to Him until that day."

Work for God will never be forgotten and the reward can never be equaled on earth.
What is that reward? Eternal life. Why should we work for the Lord again? Because
through Jesus Christ we can have victory over death.

1 Cor 15:58 should instruct each of us concerning our lives and gives us a God-
given measuring stick by which we can "examine ourselves (2 Cor 13:5).
How do we measure up?