Laurie Hopkins

We seem to be good at the working and toiling but not so good at the enjoying of the fruit of our labours. 

King Solomon was full of the wisdom of the Lord.  

He sought to find and understand the “meanings” in life in Ecclesiastes.  

He talks a lot about seasons and toiling and nothing being new under the sun.  

He also talks about enjoying of our labours, as it is our heritage.  

Many of us have become caught up in the “toils” part.  

We don’t seem to know how to kick back and enjoy. 

This is a new year – a year of learning and becoming.  

This is the year we need to learn to set aside the work calendar and begin to move in joy. 

Joy comes from simple pleasures.  

Enjoying a particularly beautiful sunset, the antics of the kitty cat, your husbands company in the evening, a good cup of tea.  

Joy comes from within first and then from without.  

Joy begins with gratitude in your soul and moves outward with a warm smile, a reassuring and encouraging word, a gentle touch on the shoulder. 

It is natural to “toil under the sun” but it is also natural to “rejoice in your labour”.  

Choose balance.  

Choose joy. 

What is in our heart comes out of our mouth.  

What comes out of our mouth lifts up or destroys.  

Words have power.  

Words hurt or heal.  

Our words come from what sits within us.  

We can mask or control what sits within us for a certain amount of time, but when the fatigue and frustration hit, what sits within us comes out of our mouth. 

The Psalmist lifts both the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart up to the Lord.  

How do we assure these 2 things are acceptable in the sign of the Lord?  

1) Get in the Word – the Word of God, stored in your heart, will come out when fatigue and frustration hit. 

2) Know who you are in Christ.  When your identity is wrapped up in Him and not in what ow who is going on around you, what you tell yourself and how you respond to others will change.

3) Seek the Lord. When you chase after Him, rather than the things the world has to offer you will be able to clearly see what is important and what is less important, leading to fewer unnecessary frustrations in the run of a day.

Let our cry be today, 

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”

There was a cloud over the tabernacle; by day a cloud, by night the appearance of fire.  

When the cloud stopped, they stopped.  

When the cloud moved, they moved.  

The Israelites allowed the Lord to direct their steps, literally. 

Today we often look for “a sign” to know whether to move ahead or stay still.  

We look for other people’s opinions, the circumstances around us and to “prophecies” brought forth by those that hear from the Lord.  

The Lord wishes for us to listen “to that still small voice” of His; 

the Voice that comes to us in the night, in the midst or when we have stopped long enough to listen.  The Lord wants us to get alone with Him.  

To listen to what He has to stay about our moving forward or staying still.  

The Holy Spirit will lead us, if we ask and receive His direction. 

What direction do you require today?  

Did you even know you required direction?  

Let us be a people of whom it is said, 

“At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed.”