Devotional Thought of the Day:
³¹  Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (TEV)

129         Whoever really wants to achieve sanctity, takes no breaks or holidays.

On occasion, I see people complaining about Mondays.  How they would love to be able to delay Monday’s onset by 48 or 72…  hundred hours or so!  It is if there is a cosmic disdain, even hatred for the 2nd day of the week, the first week back to the grindstone, and the laborious tasks we have to endure.

Even for those of us who “like” what we do… Mondays simply … suck.

And yet for those of us who desire to walk with Jesus, even day is a Monday in a sense.  A day to get focused on the tasks we have, a chance to get focused on walking with God, and loving our neighbors, whether they be family, friend, irritant, enemy or some combination of those options.

St Josemaria noted that in pursuit of sanctification, who want to achieve holiness, there are no days off.  Even as the Apostle, Paul encourages/commissions/commands us to do what we do only for God’s glory.  That implies a level of perfection that is beyond our ability, that requires being driven, focused, intent on what it takes to be holy, to go over and above the requirements, not for our benefit, not to receive a reward, promotion or raise.  But simply because you know it will reflect positively on the one we call our Master, our Lord, our God, our friend.

This isn’t about doing good to be saved, it is about living life as someone God saved,  (for my fellow Lutherans, consider this,”  40 But since Christians are not to be deterred from good works, but are most diligently to be admonished and urged to apply themselves to good works, we cannot and should not tolerate, teach, or defend this proposition, unqualifiedly stated, in our churches.)

So we do what we do, keeping in mind that even on Mondays we walk with Jesus, even on Monday’s His presence is there, showing us mercy, loving us, empowering us, comforting us, assuring that even Monday’s cannot separate us from His amazing love.

So we take each day, each Monday on, knowing the peace we that renewed us on Sunday, the first day of the week when we celebrated the love of God, seen in Jesus offering His body and allowing His blood to be spelled out so we could be God’s children.

And we take each Monday, looking forward to Friday when He will come in glory, to bring us into the Father’s presence, into the place of peace.  For that day will be the end of our labor, and entering into His rest!

God give us the patience and strength to focus on You, on the love, mercy, and peace you pour out on us.  Guide us, even on Monday, and help us realize that we will see YOu, even as we enter Your rest!  AMEN! 

References

Escriva, Josemaria. Furrow (Kindle Locations 729-730). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Tappert, T. G. (Ed.). (1959). The Book of Concord the confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. (p. 558). Philadelphia: Mühlenberg Press.