Called to Work

In thinking about my recent decision to relocate from Harrisburg, PA, clear across the country to Seattle, WA, the topic of being 'called to work' seemed to be a common theme.  A recent 4-part post on the Gospel Coalition web page was particularly helpful.  It paints a very clear picture of why we work: "You work because it glorifies God."

Here are a few highlights:

Work is not merely a means to an end.

"If we are to live all of life for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), then we need a God-centered view of work. It’s not enough that we try to honor God in how we do our work, or that we try to be Christlike to people at work, or that we support God’s kingdom with the money we make from work. The glory of God must inform and transform our view of work itself....We are using work. We’re in it for what we get out of it. God may be honored in the results of our work, but he is not supreme in our view of work itself"

We were made for work.

"The most notable thing about this passage [Gen 2:7-9; 15] is that it takes place before the Fall. Work is not a result of sin. It is part of God’s original design for humanity... God put Adam in the garden of Eden to work it and to care for it. Let this sink in: Work is what we were created for."

 "One of my seminary professors used to say, “God expected Adam and Eve to split the atom.” He didn’t just intend for them to have babies and plant trees. They were meant to exercise dominion over all of creation, turning the entire earth into a showcase of the glory and beauty and majesty of God—and then working it and caring for it for all of eternity."

Work is good, but because of the Fall, work is hard.

"It’s important that we see both the goodness of work in God’s original creation and the struggle of work under the Fall. If we only see the good, we’ll be frustrated when things don’t go as they should. If we only see the bad, we’ll have a hard time doing our work to the glory of God."

Tips for Monday morning:
(1) "Go to work tomorrow or next month or next year and do your absolute best."
(2) "[D]on’t expect life at work to be peachy...Work doesn’t always work the way it should."
(3) "[L]earn the Ten Commandments. Especially the fourth one: the Sabbath."
(4) "[G]et yourself into the discipline of praying the Lord’s Prayer before work and after work and during work. Not to get God to do something for you, but to get yourself into a God-centered rhythm of life."

You can read the whole thing: here