Be strong and do it

This week has been full of many words, most of them written. I've done a lot of editing, at times I've really struggled with the editing work I had to do, which included a lot of reading and making decisions about author's wishes as what I thought readers could read and understand. When people think of editing they often first think about grammar and spelling, but the work I have done this week was at a much higher level than that. It was really hard work, work that sometimes had me wondering if I was any good as an editor at all, and people in my vicinity have heard me call myself a "bear of little brain". In any case, I'm glad for respectful, gracious authors who were patient with me as I tried my best to do the work.

Be strong and do the work

Mid-way through the week I was also reading the end of 1 Chronicles, where King David was preparing for the end of his life and handing over reign to his son Solomon. The big thing that he didn't get to do in his lifetime was build a temple in Jerusalem. He really wanted to, but God said no. However he did a lot of preparation. 

In chapter 28 he is talking to the leaders of Israel. He charged the leaders as well as Solomon with the task of continuing to follow the commands of the Lord. 

He particularly addresses Solomon with the charge to "acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you for ever" (v. 9 NIV). Then he moves onto the task of building the temple and then he says the words that have resonated in my head all week: "Be strong and do the work" (v. 10).

I think I'm going to have to start calling this
Maidenhair Fern "Lazarus" because once again
it has nearly died and it's coming back to life again!

After a whole lot of detail about the plans for the temple, he says again to Solomon, 

Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. (v. 20, my emphasis)

The phrase "be strong" actually appears 33 times in the NIV version of the Bible, most of them are exhortations from God to his people. Often it's "be strong and courageous", but also "be strong and take heart" which is similar.

Now of course I am not doing anything like building a worship building for God, I am not taking on massive leadership challenges, and nor inheriting a reign over a people chosen by God. So the parallels are a little hazy, but I do feel like it's applicable to our lives as Christians. Often we struggle with motivation or distraction or other things. Sometimes it helps to be reminded "be strong"—because God is with you and has promised to give you strength—and "do the work"—just get on with doing the hard thing, the next thing because it's what God's given you to do this day.

I don't know what hard thing God's given you for today. I'm anticipating my mental load today will be less than it's been for the last couple of weeks, merely because I did the hard work and those particular tasks are done, and the ones I anticipate doing today are probably easier. But I better get on with "doing the work", trust that God will give me all the strength I need to do all he has for me today.