IT’S STOCK-TAKING MOMENT – TAKE TIME TO CHILL: FOR LEISURE IS GOD’S AND IT’S GODLY TOO!
EBENEZER: Hitherto Has the Lord God HELPED Us – 1 Samuel 7:12.
LEISURE and REST are good after labour – a diligent work; and labour is the physical and mental exertion of man to earn a gracious reward – in cash and or kind. And one good, gracious and graceful reward of labour – after a DILIGENT workload in the year – is by taking a time out to have a relaxing and leisure moment, outside your norm, especially with your BELOVED, among your CHERISHED friends – just to eat, drink and laugh.
“And the apostles GATHERED themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had DONE, and what they had TAUGHT. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and REST A WHILE: for there were many coming and going, and they had no LEISURE so much as to EAT” Mark 6:30-31.
“Go thy way, EAT thy bread with JOY, and DRINK thy wine with a MERRY heart; for God now ACCEPTETH thy works . . . 9 Live JOYFULLY with the wife whom thou LOVEST ALL THE DAYS OF THE LIFE of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, ALL THE DAYS of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun” Ecclesiastes 9:7, 9.
The essence of STOCK-TAKING MOMENT and TAKING TIME TO CHILL is to have REST and LEISURE as it’s of GOD’S will and it’s GODLY too. For in reality:
WE LIVE TO EAT AND NOT EAT TO LIVE – FOR LIFE IS WORTH THE LIVING. THEREFORE, THINK.
It’s a gracious and graceful time to EAT, LAUGH, REFLECT, TAKE STOCK and BELIEVE again for the Days, Weeks, Months and Years ahead. God REWARDS DILIGENCE; and they that are DILIGENT will have a STAND in the MIDST and PLACE of kings – noble, honour and dignity. Proverbs 22:29; Hebrews 11:6.
And most importantly, STOCK TAKING is a time to review and assess one’s situation and options; and to count, account and share the enabling that will synergise you in PURPOSE; such that you can THRIVE MEANINGFULLY and in FULFILMENT; and to move FORWARD – ONWARDS and UPWARDS – in LIFE and GRACE, and in the abounding love of God’s BLESSEDNESS in Christ Jesus stead.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“Seest thou a man DILIGENT in his business? he shall STAND before KINGS (HONOUR, DIGNITY); he shall not STAND before mean (OBSCURED, UNPRODUCTIVE) men” Proverbs 22:29 (Emphasis Mine).
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a REWARDER of them that DILIGENTLY seek him” Hebrews 11:6.
“And the apostles GATHERED themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had DONE, and what they had TAUGHT. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and REST A WHILE: for there were many coming and going, and they had no LEISURE so much as to EAT” Mark 6:30-31.
“There remaineth therefore a REST to the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his REST, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11 Let us LABOUR therefore to ENTER INTO THAT REST, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief” Hebrews 4:9-11.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he RESTED on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had RESTED from all his work which God created and made” Genesis 2:1-2.
“Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to EAT and to DRINK, and to ENJOY the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion” Ecclesiastes 5:18.
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should EAT and DRINK, and that he should make his soul ENJOY good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God” Ecclesiastes 2:24.
“I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to REJOICE, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should EAT and DRINK, and ENJOY the good of all his labour, it is the GIFT of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him” Ecclesiastes 3:12-14.
“Then I commended MIRTH, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to EAT, and to DRINK, and to be MERRY: for that shall abide with him of his LABOUR the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun” Ecclesiastes 8:15.
“Go thy way, EAT thy bread with JOY, and DRINK thy wine with a MERRY heart; for God now ACCEPTETH thy works. 8 Let thy GARMENTS be always WHITE; and let thy HEAD lack no OINTMENT. 9 Live JOYFULLY with the wife whom thou LOVEST all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” Ecclesiastes 9:7-10.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI