Day 18

Work is not just a physical necessity, but a spiritual act between you and your Lord.

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.’ (COLOSSIANS 3:23)

One of my favourite places in Ontario is Algonquin Park. If you go there at the right time you can hear the howl of the wolf, see the tracks of the bears and witness the splash of the otter. One of the animals discovered on my first visit there was the beaver. Second to human beings, the beaver has a bigger impact on the environment than any other creature. They work hard building these amazing dams that last for centuries. I’ve heard there is a beaver dam in Alberta that is 850 metres long and 5 metres high.

What is the difference between a busy beaver and a human being? We both work hard for food and shelter. Is it just that our work is more sophisticated? Or that we work with more intelligence? The Bible talks about work as more than a physical necessity, but as a spiritual activity. Colossians tells us to work as though we’re working for the Lord. It’s not just providing food, shelter and safety. Work is a godly activity. Adam was to work the Garden of Eden and although the Fall added ‘the sweat of his brow,’ nevertheless work is a divine ordinance in which we may know the pleasure of God. Whether we drive a bus, fly an airplane, or collect garbage – we are serving God through our actions, whatever sphere of life that we live. We have a bigger agenda than just our work – it is also our full-time Christian service.

Who are you working for?