Work can be a real blessing -- live with Jesus as Lord in the center of the will of God. If you're not there yet, then pray and obey your way into His will for you. I remember when I lived in Bavaria hearing from young Europeans about their trials of life. Trials to them were not relational so much, but they were related to how they really wanted to work and progress towards expertise in a career. The Bible says...
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| Photo by Maxime Agnelli |
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| Photo by Jesse Orrico |
• God is a wise diligent worker. (Think about it, hard vigorous work is good for you too). In Genesis (1:26, 27; 5:1) gives us a clear understanding of this through the creation story. God creates--He's the Creator who worked and works in this material world, who works "in relationship", and whose work observes good limits. We have the ability to do the same. Check out Genesis 1 and 2, and how develops human work in five specific categories: 1.) dominion, 2.) relationships, 3.) fruitfulness/growth, 4.) provision, and 5.) limits. (Sadly, too many of us people ignore the proper limits we should have with work). But this development occurs in two cycles, one in Genesis 1:26-2:4 and the other in Genesis 2:4-25.• God is our ultimate Master so be diligent like he is. Whatever you are doing work at it with enthusiasm, as unto the Lord (He sees) and not for eyes of people because you know you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve and enthusiastically praise the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24• Be compassionate and purposeful in your work. Plan well and manage your time wisely.. all of your prep time too. Most of us get to provide for our families and God takes this seriously. He loves us all dearly. But if someone does not provide for his own, especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8. (Don't get mad at me, those are his words)• Be totally grateful from the heart, and earnestly express it upwards and then outwards when people help. God gave a lot, still does, and He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful', Deuteronomy 8:17-18. When I woke up this morning I wasn't entitled to anything. It was a blessing and every heartbeat and breath has been an unentitled unearned blessing as well. Yeah, I wasn't even deserving or entitled to wake up really. (I told some friends/workers downtown the other day that if they work smart for 8 hours (for however, many days they are scheduled) then they're entitled to a paycheck and a hug from me). "Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8-10• Be very mindful that God values each of us individually not for how very skilled or "brilliant" we are, or for what we specifically do (good works-wise), or for how much we earn.. but for who we are (made in his image: God is Spirit and you too are a spirit inside created to intimately fellowship with Him. No idols fill that inner void--live for Him not work etc). You believers, are His beloved children redeemed through the costly sacrifice of His Son Jesus. knowGod.org
There are some jobs we shouldn't take of course, but work in general is not a bad thing! Some people saved and unsaved erroneously think that work is a result of the fall of man (Gen 3:17–18). Go check it out in the Bible -- work was given before the fall. It was indeed Adam’s responsibility to work and till the grounding order to take care of the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:15).
The Bible lets us know that we believers will work in heaven and that people who are not spiritually born again sadly will not. In Luke 19:17, those who are faithful with their gifts and talents here on earth will be rewarded with the task of overseeing cities in the coming kingdom. That will be work. And working with other believers can be fun.
Go look at Revelation 21:2. What do you see? There is the holy city of Jerusalem coming out of heaven to the earth. We will work on earth once again.
Just the fact that heaven is called a city implies many characteristics about eternity. A city has commerce, cultural art districts, education, and government. In heaven, we will not be sitting around on some cloud doing nothing. You'll never be bored out of your goard there. We will have excellent, exciting times worshiping and serving the Lord together in the heavenly city and then on the earth again. This will be forever. It has always been God’s will for man to serve others. Following and knowing Him isn't about selfishness.
God has never been selfish -- He is others-orientated as a worker too! He creates and sustains the world by the POWER of his living Word (Heb. 1:3). He is not idle, He won't get idle! He earnestly prays for His saints. Yes, we should too. He prays for people in order to save them to the uttermost (Heb 7:25). No charge. We serve a God who neither sleeps nor slumbers (Ps. 121:4). He is always active in his creation.
Jesus answered people of his day saying, “'My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working.' This made the Jews more determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath [from their viewpoint], but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." John 5:17-18 amp
Work can be a blessing as we keep Jesus first allowing Him to lead us. It is something we do here on earth and something we will also do in eternity. When we need something we are to pray first..not merely wish first/only.. and then go to work. Prayfullying working is a way that we imitate Jesus and bring honor to the Father. Jesus did this. If work is something we will do throughout eternity, we would do well to ask ourselves, “How can I work and learn in such a way that God is glorified?”
