"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)

Tucked into a mountaintop, surrounded by trees and blue skies, her home sat waiting to greet me. As I approached her door, I saw a sign on the side of the house that said, "Welcome, Sarah! We are so glad you are here!" Through the front door, into the entryway, I was greeted with smiles and hugs. After introductions, I was shown to my room where I would be staying for the next few days.

Next to the neatly made bed was a bottle of water, a vase of simple flowers, a beautifully hand-written note and a little jar of foil-wrapped chocolates.
This lovely set-up, personally arranged, was all for me.

Back upstairs, the smell of a homemade meal was floating in the air. Candles were lit and classical music played in the background.

This was my first time at my mentor's home. I had flown hundreds of miles to visit her, to spend time with her family and be mentored in person. And immediately upon pulling up to her home, I felt so special, so loved.

I would have been happy just to spend time with her without any of the extras, but she chose to make things beautiful for me. Going the extra step to raise life above mere existence is her defining gift.
I want to do that as well - to be someone who takes the time to make the ordinary into something beautiful.

And I have that opportunity to offer more than the mundane every day because I have a home where eternal souls live, and where meals are made and laundry is washed and toilets are scrubbed and all of this work matters.

I can make beauty right where I am for the people whom God has entrusted me with: my husband, my children, my neighbors and anyone else whom God brings to my home. This is my work, my first work, to carve out a space where love takes root and grows - where character is forged, humility is nurtured and holiness has a place to grow.

There is purpose in this good work of home work.

We see in the Scripture that work, including home work is never just work for the sake of itself; it is tied to purpose, to seeing our labor come to the fruition of an inner desire (see the Greek word ergon for reference). So our home work is a good work planned in advance by God to bring others to His very heart. All work is about His heart, which is of course about knowing Him and His love and offering that love to others.

Knowing that all the work in my home from scrubbing the floors to tackling another load of laundry, from listening to one child tell me about her dreams to correcting another, from moderating a conflict to having the neighbor over for coffee as she tells me about her latest struggle, is all about loving God and loving others. My home work is about love, and that love overflows through a listening ear, a flower next to a guest's bed, another homemade meal.

Love is so often in the details.

Whether you're married or single, if you have children or you don't, your home work is meaningful and beautiful and has great eternal purpose.

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and giving us good work to do. Please help us to walk in confidence and joy where you have called us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

***

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Matthew 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: 'Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

If you've ever struggled with cleaning your home, or making it a place where souls can really rest (including your own), check out Sarah Mae's new book, Having a Martha Home the Mary Way: 31 Days to a Clean Home and a Satisfied Soul.

For more on enjoying your home and making it a place where gentle homemaking is honored and practiced, visit MarthaHomeMaryWay.com.

Enter to WIN a copy of Having a Martha Home the Mary Way by Sarah Mae. In celebration of this book, Sarah's publisher is giving away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We'll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications to each one, by Monday, March 28.}

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

It can feel overwhelming to invite others into our homes if we think everything has to be just right. But maybe there is someone out there, perhaps someone on your heart right now, who could use a gentle?spirited friend?

You don't have to have your home in perfect order. Just brew some coffee, fluff the pillows and invite them in. The rest? Offer it as a good work to the One who planned it all in advance.

© 2016 by Sarah Mae. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Tyndale Momentum for their sponsorship of today's devotion.

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