DAY FIFTY-THREE - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE PEOPLE
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Genesis 2:15
Reading: John 5:17; Psalm 90:17; Proverbs 12:11 and 13:4; Colossians 3:23
Mondays! However did Monday get such a horrible reputation? Due to our modern 5-day work week, Monday signifies the end of of our weekend or downtime, and the day our work schedule begins. It’s when we need to wake up at a certain pre-determined time, put on “work clothes”, pack lunches and prepare to battle traffic to get there on time. Then we need to submit to a sometimes unjust boss and complete tasks that will eventually yield some financial gain.
Work has a bad rap in our society. It signifies rush, stress and pressure. It’s the rat race. So it isn’t really Monday that has the bad reputation after all – but work! It’s work that has become the reason we despise Mondays.
The Bible tells us that God instructed mankind to work. After he had finished creating everything for the benefit of His most prized creation, His people, and completed His work of provision, He then asked them to work. All this before the fateful fall. Many believe work to be a part of the curse, something that we are forced to do because of Adam and Eve’s sin. Thus they approach work with a heavy heart and heavy feet. Some even think it an unholy activity – especially in comparison to attending Church on a Sunday. But work was in fact, and still is, another one of God’s incredible blessings to us. Being made in the image of God means that we also do as He does, and God is a worker. Adam was asked to work the garden, you may be asked to work in an office, or as a driver – whatever it is – you have already been created with various abilities that reflect the image of God here on Earth. Those very abilities are for you to use, to work, and to be a blessing to others as you use them. Even science agrees that work has the most incredible effects on the human psyche. We’re creative, created beings who love to be productive – just like our good Father.
When last did you look at your job – and say “it is good”? Let's follow the example of Jesus and approach our work with an understanding of it being a blessing. Despite all the negative things you could say about it, look for reasons to be thankful. Maybe it’s the people you work with, maybe it’s the opportunity to make disciples, maybe it’s the job itself and the space to use your talents, maybe you have a beautiful office, or flexible hours – whatever it is, there are definitely reasons to be thankful for work.
Prayer
Thank you Jesus for my work. Thank you for the mandate that allows me the space and place to demonstrate my dominion, and a place to multiply your image. Thank you that I get to be a blessing to others in my work place.
For the Family
Activity:
Click the link below to find a choice of 75 different arts and crafts projects. Attempt any one of them as a family together.
Pay attention to how you work with each other. Is it fun? Do you get annoyed with each other? How does it feel to complete a task and have produced or created something?
Explain:
Discuss the work mandate and how the activity relates to our call.
