Useful or Useless?

Cassie’s Wedding Day

But Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

I am setting here in my room in Phoenix, dressed in a tuxedo, waiting for the hour Cassie and Allen will be joined in marriage. Yesterday after the rehearsal the pastor, who is also Allen’s uncle, ask me if I would be willing to close the ceremony with a prayer. What an honor and privilege Pastor Greg has bestowed on me. I have been going over in my mind, and praying as to what I should say in this prayer. So this morning I set here in the room watching Lynn do all the last minute stuff, and people coming in and out of the room, and nothing was coming to me. Lynn left to get her hair and makeup done with the girls and I decided this would be a good time for me to get showered and dressed. Still nothing then I read my devotion for today and this is the scripture that God chose for me to read today.

Here Paul is telling the people of Corinth, who were asking questions like; “How will the dead be raised” and “what kind of bodies will we have.” Paul says these are “foolish” questions. He then proceeds to talk about how we are now in earthly bodies that are dying and cannot inherit the Kingdom Of God, which will last forever. We will be given spiritual bodies that will last forever. Paul also explains how some of us may not die they will be transformed in an instant, “in the blink of an eye” (verse 51). In verse 55 Paul quotes Hosea 13:14: “O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting?” Showing that we have nothing to fear from death when we have accepted Christ as our savior. Paul says in verse 56, “for sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.”

I am so thankful that Christ has given us victory over death through His death and resurrection. What a powerful statement that Paul is making here. Just imagine for a moment that you are alive at the time of the end when God chooses to bring Satan and his world to an end where in the “blink of an eye” you are transformed into a new being, a spiritual being, what a wonderful blessing. As I am thinking about this the idea came to me that at the moment Pastor Greg says, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Allen and Cassie will be instantly transformed, they will no longer be a single being but a joined being, joined together in marriage where just an instant before they were separate, single. As they moved forward in this transformed state as one unit, with Christ at the center of their lives and their main focus is on Christ, then on each other. If they continue to seek God’s will for their lives even though they will experience disappointments, detours, set backs, and failures. If they do not become discouraged realizing the God is not finished with them yet. Remember life is a marathon not a sprint. A smart traveler chooses a wise traveling companion one who does not tire or falter this companion is of course God, then our spouse. So pray as if everything depends on God and work as if everything depends you, trust God to do the rest. God will use you and all you do for His glory, nothing you will ever do for the Lord will be considered useless.

Loving Father, when we want to throw in the towel and give up, remind us how important it is to keep trying. Father when we worry or become upset remind us to talk to you. Father when we fear the future remind us that you are already there waiting for us. We love you Father, help us to feel your love. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.