318. Wednesday after Ninth Sunday after Trinity.
Prosper, O God, the work
of our hands. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 3, 7-13. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort, by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
❦
The burden of our earthly labor, which is a curse pronounced on man in punishment of sin, yet has, by the wisdom and mercy of God, been turned into a blessing for us Christians. “Idleness is the parent of vice.” If you labor in your vocation in a Christian frame of mind, the labor helps to subdue the flesh, and strengthen the spirit; tame the sensual lusts, and rouse to action the noble powers of the soul; banish gloomy and wicked thoughts, and give nourishment to joy and hope; while at the same time it seasons your food, gives you sound sleep, and is the best medicine in the world. You do not realize how good a thing God has given you in your hard labor. You should hold on to it with both hands, be tirelessly faithful in your vocation, rejoice in it, and thank God for it.
The important thing, however, is to do your work with faith in your heart. You are a child of God, you who believe; and everything that you have under your charge belongs to him; you are in his house and in his service all the time. While your son is a child you give him freely that which he needs; and so when he performs any service for you, he claims no reward, but serves you willingly and gladly. In like manner you and I are in the house of the Lord our God. We have received everything of his fatherly kindness, and of this we live; all things are ours, and we control as many of them as is expedient for us. Thus we are to labor in our vocation, and bear our day’s burden, not in order that we may earn our bread of our heavenly Father, but that we may do his will, and fill our place among his children in a way pleasing to him and useful to men; not as bondmen, but in a grateful and happy spirit as children who, by reason of their rights as such in Christ, have all the good things of the Father’s house, and live in the hope of eternal glory.
Heavenly Father, give us a childlike faith and obedience in all things, and make our hard labor easy by thy grace in our dear Lord Jesus. How wisely and well hast thou ordered all things! Even the curse which we brought upon ourselves thou hast turned into a blessing for thy needy children. May we always remain with thee, dear heavenly Father, and eat, drink, work, and rest in thy house as thy children, and thank thee heartily for all things. And when at last the evening is come, and our strength has been exhausted, do thou give ns that rest which remains to the people of God; let us then enter into thy joy in heaven. Amen.*
Come unto me, when shadows darkly gather,
When the sad heart is weary and distressed,
Seeking for comfort from your heavenly Father,
Come unto me, and I will give you rest.
Large are the mansions in thy Father’s dwelling,
Glad are the homes that sorrows never dim;
Sweet are the harps in holy music swelling,
Soft are the tones which raise the heavenly hymn.
[suggested Eirene, TLH 453; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.