Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, keep working at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for people. (NIV)

You don’t need me to tell you that there is a lot of work that a parent of a disabled child has to do. Take a moment to consider this question: Why does God allow us so much work? Or, more simply, why does God have us work at all?

We might remember that God decreed that human work would be difficult after the fall into sin, and it certainly is. We think of the particular difficulties in accomplishing the work we have as parents, and just providing our children with the basic necessities of life can seem to sap all our energy. But then we remember what human life looked like before the fall into sin. It was still full of work! Even when we look at the book of Revelation and see the saints in heaven, and they are serving God “day and night in his temple” (Revelation 7:15). They serve God. We, when we are in heaven, will serve God. Sounds a lot like work!

Here's the thing about all the work God gave Adam and Eve to do, and all the work that the saints in heaven perform: God doesn’t need any of it. God could simply accomplish everything by snapping his divine fingers–he has almighty power! But he doesn’t do that. He gives us as human beings the gift of work.

Yes, work is a gift.

There’s a blessing that we didn’t mention in our last devotion (“God Will Show You the Good”) for those who care for people with special needs: a sense of accomplishment and worth. To have someone depend on you for care is both a great responsibility and a great privilege. But the gift God gives us in the work he allows us to perform goes far beyond how it makes us feel about ourselves. It actually draws us closer to God himself.

The apostle Paul was writing to people who had a variety of jobs to perform. Some were merchants, some were common laborers. Some were stay-at-home moms, some were household servants. The Holy Spirit invited each of these people to see their work as a means for them to worship their God. True, that would have been more challenging for some of them. Some types of work are harder and less enjoyable than others. But all work is a gift of God that he means as a blessing for the worker.

And, when you think about it, that’s easy for us to see in the care that we give our children. Our children are gifts from God all by themselves. And though God could take care of them personally if he so desired, he has granted us the privilege of taking care of them.

May God give you the grace today to see the work you do in taking care of your child as a gift from him to you. And may the care you give your child be your gift of thanks back to him!

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for the privilege of being a parent. Help me see my child as a dearly loved soul redeemed by the blood of your Son. Help me, as a fellow redeemed soul, to do what you would have me do today in caring for my child. Grant me the grace to give my children both spiritual and physical care, that they may remain your children until life everlasting. Grant this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

by Stephen and Margo Schmidt