Our Work – Ephesians 6:7

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men.

Having completed His work of creation, God looked over all that He had made, and He was well pleased with the fruit of His labor.[1]  He had used His creativity, power, and strength to produce something magnificent and worthy of His efforts, and upon beholding the glorious result, He saw that it was good.  His work brought Him pleasure, and as a loving Father, He desired His children to know the pleasure that comes from performing a job well.  Therefore, in making men and women in His own image, the Creator, being a laborer Himself, built into His creation the same desire to work and to produce a good result from their efforts, and He commissioned them to take up the work of overseer of the lands and creatures that He had created.

Knowing that our loving Creator appointed His children to work helps us understand the importance of honorably performing this God-instilled purpose in our lives.  We conform more closely to our Lord when we view our work as a privilege and joy, undertaking it heartily as unto the Lord, not merely to serve our families and ourselves.[2]  We bring glory to Christ when we work with the hands and spirit of a servant, representing our Lord, being His ambassadors in every venue into which He sends us, whether in our homes, offices, communities, or churches.[3]  Whether we are employees, self-employed, homemakers, or volunteers, we act as good stewards of the gifts given to us by our heavenly Father when we utilize them to their fullest in the jobs with which we have been blessed and entrusted.[4]  We demonstrate our trustworthiness when we work diligently, faithfully providing those for whom we work with a good return for our wages, even when none apart from our own hearts and the Lord would know should we let our standards down.[5]

Praise God for your work, and do it, whatever it is, to His glory.[6]  Remember, wherever you are, God is with you, and He has a purpose for what He has given you to do.  Perform your work with a resolute heart and soul, demonstrating your love for Him and others.  Obey His instruction and observe His commandments by joyfully performing your labor, and He will prosper you in all your work even as He rejoices over you.[7]

[1] Genesis 1:31

[2] Colossians 3:23

[3] 1 Corinthians 4:1

[4] 1 Peter 4:10

[5] Philippians 2:12

[6] 1 Corinthians 10:31

[7] Deuteronomy 30:8-10