Daily Thought for Thursday, August 4th

August 4, 2011

Idleness

Today’s Thought:

“Toil is man’s allotment, toil of brain, or toil of hands, or a grief that’s more than either, the grief and sin of idleness.”  – Herman Melville

Today’s Quotes:

“Idleness is the root of all evil.” – George Farquhar

Today’s Question

Were you aware that some say: “Idleness and pride tax with a heavier hand than kings and parliaments?” – Benjamin Franklin

Today’s Bible Verses:                  John 4:31-38

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“Never be entirely idle, but be reading or writing, in prayer or in meditation, or else be engaged in some work for the common good.” – Thomas a Kempis

Jesus was always busy tending to His Father’s business.  Even as a child in the temple, Jesus was diligent to accomplish His Father’s plan and to fulfill His purpose.

What is our purpose?

“Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care.” – Don Wyrtzen and James Black (Lyrics from ‘When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder’)

God created us, for His pleasure and purposes: and it is His plan that we go into the world to proclaim the gospel.

Abraham Lincoln in a letter to his stepbrother, John D. Johnston summed up quite well what we need to do.  He wrote: “I do not write in any unkindness.  I write in order, if possible to get you to face the truth….  …Your thousand premises for not getting along better, are all nonsense, they deceive nobody but yourself.  Go to work is the only cure for your case.”

“I know thy works, and thy labour,…” – The Bible (Revelation 2:2(a))

Are you working for the Master or are you idling away the time; wasting the resources God has given you?

Today’s Prayer:

Father, ‘many hands make for light work,’ so may I always be found busy doing my part for your Kingdom.