Genesis 3:17-19 [Thou Shalt Labour]

[Things to Meditate On]

1. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the word of God and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God gave Eve the pain and travail of childbirth (v. 16), and He gave Adam the punishment that he would have to labour all the days of his life in order to eat the fruit of the ground. From that time on, in order for us to obtain anything on this earth, we have had to obtain it through "labour."

2. Among people, there are some who have the mistaken idea that if they simply say, "I believe!" then Jesus will take care of everything for them. In truth, the Bible teaches that there is a time to "wait by faith" and also a time to actively "act." Yet if one simply says, "I believe!" about everything without such discernment, it may look as though he has faith, but it can never be called perfect faith.

James 2:22, 26 "22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

Just as Jesus also prayed earnestly on the mount of Olives, and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:39-44), likewise, if we desire to receive an answer from Jesus, we must have the "labour" of earnestly praying to Him. The same lesson is also given in Luke 11:9-13 below.

Luke 11:9-13 "9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened..."

3. Thus, the words “Ask,” “Seek,” and “Knock” are words that require active action from us. And in order for us to make this kind of active effort, we must certainly have faith that Jesus is our Saviour. This is because when we believe that Jesus is our only Saviour, we can call upon the name of Jesus with our mouth and pray earnestly to Him. In Romans 10:13-14 below, it is also written, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?" Thus, we are told that if we do not believe in Jesus, we cannot call upon the name of Jesus. For this reason, "faith and works must surely be united." In other words, we must believe in Jesus in order to call upon the name of Jesus.

Romans 10:10, 13-14 "10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

[Decision and Application]

Just as in the world those who have an active mindset and make diligent effort can obtain what they desire, for spiritual things, which are incomparably more precious than the things of the world, we must have an even more active mindset and earnest labour. Therefore, rather than falling into the pleasures of the world, we must rejoice more in suffering reproach for Christ (Heb. 11:24-26), and rather than allowing our faith to sink because of tribulation, we must instead have an active heart that seeks to bring forth hope through that tribulation (Rom. 5:3-4).

1 Corinthians 15:55-58 "55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?... 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

As this passage says, when we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord, and when, on the basis of this faith, we pray without ceasing to Jesus in the name of Jesus (1 Thess. 5:17), this labour can move the heart of Jesus and cause Him to remember us.

1 Samuel 1:10-11, 19-20 "10And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 19...and the LORD remembered her. 20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD."

Luke 18:1-8 "1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily..."

These words become strength to us (1 Cor. 1:18). Truly, if God remembers us, even what is impossible can become possible. Therefore, this truth becomes the power that enables us not to faint, but always to pray. Therefore, from now on, we must seek to labour more actively in all things, and above all, we must pray earnestly to Jesus in the name of Jesus (John 14:13-14).

John 16:24 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

Amen.