Work Can be Worship
“Everything
you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord" Colossians
3:17
Can YOU believe it?
I never looked at this verse from the Bible in this way! That my
work can be my
worship.
Just a few days back I was very discouraged about some
comments that I received from a “dear friend” regarding my work. The
person said many things, but the one thing that hurt me the most was
that
“my work is not pleasing God and all that I do is a waste of time”….
I won’t explain the whole context of the conversation which I guess
is a little unfair, because in context, you would understand better
what she was meaning. But the fact is, words, even in the context of
a bigger issue can still hurt. Being hurt and let down by people
that I thought were my “friends”, is sadly not a new experience!
What is new, is the encouragement that I received one morning in my
e-mail inbox that says: “Work Can Be Worship”
and the e-mail went on to say:
" Have
you seen the painting ‘The Angelus’ by Jean-Francois Millet? It
portrays two peasants praying in their field. A church steeple sits
on the horizon, and a light falls down from heaven. The rays do not
fall on the church, however. They don’t fall on the bowed heads of
the man and woman. The rays of sun fall on the
wheelbarrow
and the pitchfork at the couple’s feet. God’s eyes fall on the work
of our hands. Our Wednesdays matter to him as much as our Sundays.
He blurs the secular and sacred. One stay-at-home mom keeps this
sign over her kitchen sink: “Divine tasks performed here, daily.”
An executive hung this plaque in her office: “My desk is my
altar.” Both are correct. With God, our work matters as much
as our worship. Indeed, Work can be Worship.
"
Taking these great words that MAX LUCADO wrote, as an
encouragement and the great promises MY GOD has for me on a daily
basis I looked at my job from a different prospective and started to
analyse how it really is in the reality!!
All I can say is that YES, God is blessing me and my work even when
I DO NOT DESERVE IT!!! But how did HE bless in October? The truth is
- Amazingly!!
Not
having Mr Hoy in the country for more than 6 weeks, the beginning of
October was for me a time when I managed to do some of the “old
things, that I use to have time for” that I really enjoy doing
….like, visiting in the gypsy village, attending the kids clubs,
after school classes, chatting with old and new friends…indeed, it
almost felt like holiday!!
I also went for a weekend back home to help my family because living
in the countryside, autumn is the time when we collect our harvest
so I had a fantastic time there too! I miss them but I’m really
happy they do encourage me in the work I do.
On
October 15th I went for a “flying visit”
to United Kingdom for two very important meetings! We had our UK
board meeting on 16th and our D.A Conference the 17th!
It was very encouraging for me to see our work in
Romania from a different angle! I was encouraged by so many great
stories from people that really love God and love their
neighbours….even if they are all the way in Romania! So I came back
home fully charged! Which I needed!!
On October 22nd Mr Hoy came back to Romania
together with Greg our DA from USA! We got ready for another mission
trip experience where once again lives have been transformed!
Because my colleagues and I prepared for this mission trip for more
than 1 month we came up with new ideas that we could not wait to
share with our Mission trip guests.
New projects that never had mission trip experiences before, like
the Family Crisis Centre, new families in our Care Project
visited with a new Social Worker – Nelu. New experiences with
the kids in the school and in Salard community, visits to
Bratca hospital…lots of new and favourite things! The Mission
trip is now finished and thanks to God it was another great success.
Now
I’m getting ready for a new visit to the USA with My Hoy and Greg
the Development Associate. Please pray for our travels and for God’s
blessing on each meeting we have. For all my American friends, I
would like to say in advance HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!! And
THANK YOU for all that you are doing for my people here in Romania!
God bless you all and see you soon either here or in USA when we are
also coming with the kids on tour!!
I will leave you in this mood of celebration, and let’s make sure
that each of us has at least one reason of saying THANK YOU to our
God! For all the good things HE is doing for us even when we don’t
deserve and for all the blessings….lets say THANK YOU to the
Giver!!
I
want to say THANK YOU God for all the things you are doing for me
personally!!
Thank you to ALL the people that are reading my monthly news letter
and for their encouraging notes they send me. For those who support
the work of the Smiles Foundation and are part of this “great work”
in Romania!
I
want to say thank you to all my colleagues from all the projects in
Smiles for making such a great team and serving God and our
neighbours here in our own
country!
Thank you to ALL of you for your prayers, time and support
to
us and I pray for God’s blessing over you and your families!
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH!
Sincerely
Maria Cimpoca