God's Maintenance Program

“If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.” Ecclesiastes 10:10

“Trying to do anything without the necessary skills or tools is like chopping wood with a dull ax. If your tool is dull, you should sharpen it to do a better job. Similarly, if you lack skills you should sharpen them through training and practice. In each situation, sharpening the ax means recognizing where a problem exists, acquiring or honing the skills to do the job better, and then going out and doing it. Find the areas of your life where your “ax” is dull, and sharpen your skills so you can be more effective for God’s work.” Commentary

God’s Word provides us guidelines for how we can live wiser.

Just as the commentary said above, sharpening your "ax" can mean recognizing where a problem exists and then going to do it! But sometimes sharpening our “ax” is shutting down.

Companies that manufacture any product, schedule intentional shut down times. They do this as part of their quality control program to make sure that the products they are producing are of the highest quality and to reduce waste.

Every night when the machines are shut down, a new crew comes in and services/maintains the machines that produces hundreds and thousands of products a day. Companies know that if they neglect their machines, not only will they run the risk of recalled products, but they run the risk of forced shut downs that can result in losing thousands of dollars.

God loves us so much that He also scheduled shut down times for us - one of them is at night – it is called sleep/rest :). But rest is more than sleep. Rest is finding the times during the day to rejuvenate our mind and our body so that we can be all that God has designed us to be - body, soul and heart! Having a hopeful outlook is God's will for us!

Are you making sure that your body is serviced and maintained? Or do you attempt to do your work with a discouraged heart, a tired body and a negative outlook?

When Jesus’s disciples gathered around Jesus and reported back to Him all they had done and taught, many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. Listen to what Jesus said to His disciples, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6:31

Jesus recognized that to do His work effectively, they needed periodic rest and renewal – Jesus was not planning for their retirement – the great work for His disciples had just begun!

Sometimes because of all we have to do, we feel we need permission to rest. God has already given it to us! Let’s take it and rest with it for God’s plans for us are to turn this world upside down in His Name and for His glory!

JESUS, thank you for being our Sabbath rest. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of taking care of the bodies that You have given us. May we be gifted with the knowledge of skillful living in every area of our life. We desire to be ready and prepared for every good work You have planned for us!