This was originally posted as part of the Blogged Bible Study now almost 3 years ago…  Not sure what made me think of this post other than I have been reflecting a lot on what my life has been like, and how I got to where I am at… a few short weeks from 40 years old.   As I read through this post again, I realized how far God has brought me in my faith.   Through my inconsistency He has never wavered… and that made the Hard Work not so hard.

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John Chapter 5.

17 Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

My Dad worked hard.  He spent countless hours at work to support his family of eight children and his wife of 48 years. It is how he showed us love, and God at work in this world is Him showing us His love.  I have to say that it took me along time in life to learn the lesson of working hard, and even more time to learn that my life as follower of Christ is something I have to work at all the time.  Just as my Dad worked all the time to provide for us and love us, I to must continue to work, not only for my family but for my God.  God is working, why shouldn’t I.

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does….

My Dad was a Civil/Structural engineer.  His primary focus was the design of bridges.  Everything from 20 meter spans over a creek(or stream for you northerners) to half mile spans over the Kentucky and Ohio rivers.   I can think of countless  times when I was little I would go by his office and play with all the tools he used to design bridges.  There were all kinds of pencils, and each one had a special purpose.  There were all kinds of protractors, compasses, and rulers, again each with their own purpose.

I would sit in a chair next to him and he would patiently explain as he worked what each pencil and tool did, and why he had to use this tool for that part of the design. He was not just telling me,  he was showing me as he used the tools. (I must of asked him 1000 questions, at least I know my daughter gets it honestly.)  As I said my Dad was patient with me.  He wanted to impart his knowledge on me (Maybe so I would stop asking).  I have to think he taught and showed me so that  maybe if  I followed him I would already know how to correctly use the tools.  My Dad hoped that in time, I too would come to value the tools given to me.

So here we have Jesus coming to the world to give us the tools of his Word. How was he to do this for a bunch of people that didn’t listen to his Father who was always working?  Jesus had questions and we even read that he took time to seek the counsel of his Father in prayer.  He even asked once(and we will get to that in a few chapters… ) to be delivered from the cup handed him.   So Jesus had questions, but he had His father that gave him the tools he needed.  He also knew that he could not fulfill the path laid out before him without doing what he had seen his Father do before, and he had to use the tool of LOVE correctly as his father had so many times before.   God patiently worked with his Son, and faithfully gave him the tools and timing for every action.  Jesus loves as his Father loves.

My Dad was patient, and loved me.  He took the time to teach me when I wanted to be taught.  I did not turn out to be a Civil Engineer, but I did learn the value of hard work, doing my best, and how to  correctly use the tools put in front of me.

God Loves us and will be patient with us.  God knows we need it.  If we seek to learn about him he will give us the tools to use, and will tell us how each is to be used.   Just as he did His Son. We have to recognize though, as Jesus did, that we can do nothing with out God. If we remain focused on him, like Jesus did, he will show us, as he imparted on His Son, how to Love.

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Hard work learning to love…It can bring joy and pain…

To be continued….