“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1 ESV).
God values work. How do I know this? Through the narrative He sets forth in Scripture. Throughout the Bible, hard work done in service to the Lord is portrayed as an important part of the Christian walk.
In the very first verse of Scripture, we see the idea of work being introduced: “God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). That sounds like pretty hard work to me. God the Worker created the world and everything in it, and He created us for the purpose of His glory. The work that Christ completes in creation serves as the ultimate affirmation that work is important and can lead to beautiful things.
If being a worker is a part of God’s character, and mankind is created in His image, then we can reasonably conclude that we too are created to be workers. Even though work can easily be distorted by the sins of greed, pride, or selfishness, we must remember that work existed before the fall, and therefore it is an inherently good thing. Sin makes work hard, but it does not remove the dignity of work or make it unredeemable.
Because our sinful nature affects how we view and complete work, there are many different forms of sin that can accompany work. We can sin by working too much, or by not working at all; by working for ourselves, or working for financial stability. The true purpose of all work should be to bring glory to the Lord. This was the motivation of God’s work in creation, Christ’s work on the cross, and Christ’s disciples’ work in their ministry before and after His death – the glory of the Lord. If we are working for any other purpose, we are laboring in vain.
As you go about your day today, how can you reflect God’s image in your work ethic? By working diligently and with a humble spirit and a servant’s heart. By resisting the temptation to let tiredness or boredom lead you towards laziness. By being thankful to the Lord for your ability to work and remembering that all tasks that you complete today are acts of worship to the Lord.
On this day, recognize the hand of the Lord in the work that you do.
Reflection Questions
- How is laziness a temptation for you, and how do you resist that temptation?
- It is not often that we think of “Worker” as one of the Lord’s characteristics. How does thinking of God as a worker affect your view of Him and of who God created you to be?
Written by Lara Tovmassian. Artwork by Christine Hwang