“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”  

-John  17:4.

Notes

Recent statistics claim that 1 out of every 1 person dies.  Being around many people that have passed, I have observed that most people before their death have many regrets, and very little assurance that what they did upon the earth actually has any eternal value.  But this was not so with Jesus. The night before His crucifixion, He was able to say with confidence and complete assurance that He had completed the work that God had given Him to do.  Therefore, the Father’s will for us as well is to be able to come to the end of our journey on earth and say along with Jesus, “I have no regrets, but have accomplished completely the work that you have given me to do,” and also to say with the Apostle Paul in his last letter, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith.”  

First we must know God’s work for us.  This comes through revelation, His word, or prayer.  Once we know it, we must then act upon it.  Of course, none of us are perfect, and as it is a lifelong process, what matters is to persevere and be diligent in keeping faith in Christ, and doing the work He has for each one of us, from start to finish. Many valuable translations of the bible will have subheadings above the beginning of the gospel accounts with titles such as “Jesus begins His ministry.”  There were different facets or phases of His earthly ministry, but Jesus’ ministry began way before the Jordan River and way before He came to earth through a virgin; even when He was a child, the scripture says that He was about God’s work:  “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? -Luke 2:49.  When Jesus walked the earth, He had one goal in mind: To work the works of God: 

 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. – John 9:4

“… He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” – John 8:29.

No matter if we are babes in Christ or seasoned soldiers, what counts is that we do the things that are pleasing in His sight, and that we walk together shoulder to shoulder working the works of Him who sent us, not lagging behind in diligence, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11).  We may fail and we may stumble, but we must continue to run, and keep the faith.  For if we do, there is laid up for us the glorious crown of righteousness that will be rewarded to us on that Day.  

Willing to Take the Challenge?

In order for me and you to have confidence on that last day, it will require us to take inventory of where we are right now.  This is a difficult and sometimes painful process, but an extremely rewarding one.  Are we working the works of Him right now?  Are we striving about to do what is pleasing in His sight right now? Are we “taking heed to the ministry which we have received in the Lord, that we may fulfill it (Colossians 4:17)?