As Jennifer mentioned in a posting below, every morning before we start work, our Accommodations Department has a short time of sharing to get us started for the day. Each of us take turns sharing in the morning. This morning was my (John) morning to share, so I decided to share about work as a form of worship to God. I wanted to share with all of you what I shared with them this morning. May it be an encouragement to you!
Psalm 147:11 "The LORD is pleased only with those who worship Him and trust His love."
Avodah is the transliteration of the Hebrew word for worship and work.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15) Work is part of who we are, since God is with us and indwelling in us. Jesus points out: "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." (John 5:17)
Seven encouragements from scripture to help make work worship:
Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." God has given us work and it is for His glory that we do what we do the very best that we can.
Ecclesiastes 3:13: "Find satisfaction in all (your) toil — this is the gift of God." God wants us to be happy in our work and expects us to be joyful always including the dirty jobs.
Psalm 90:17: "And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do." God is in the routine of our work and when we let Him work through us, His beauty is made known.
Proverbs 22:29: "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings." All work is blessed when we allow God to work through us to reach others
Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." We are to perform without emphasis on self, but with wholehearted focus on God.
Matthew 22:39: "Love your neighbor as yourself." How do you want your bathroom cleaned, hall vacuumed, or cloths folded?
Ecclesiastes 5:12: "The sleep of a laborer is sweet."
Sources: "Work/Worship" by William D. Bjoraker and "How to Worship God through Your Work" by Althea DeBrule
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1 comment:
Very inspiring. To reciprocate, here's a great poem about work that I hope you enjoy:
All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.
Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.
For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.
Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.
In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.
Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.
Else our lives are incomplete,
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.
Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.
Thus alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.
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