the joy of work

I hope you had a happy Labor Day!

What did you do, yesterday? I took the day off and enjoyed it with family.

There is plenty to do today, but yesterday, I stretched out the last unofficial day of summer, hung out with some of my favorite people, ate some of my favorite food…and spent the day just truly chilling!

But now I get back to work, and I love it. Work is not the curse; working hard with little to show for it is (Genesis 3:17-19) Humans were created for real work…good work…work that reflects God’s creative image. We were put on this earth to work in partnership with God—to create, and cultivate, and even be in control of certain aspects of our environment: All under God’s loving oversight.

Work was a blessing of our existence, something we were meant to enjoy in interconnected and intimate relationship with God. Sin brought all kinds of brokenness, including the painful toil of work that otherwise would have been enjoyable. But Jesus came to redeem us from the curse, and we can get back to the joy of work.

So, when you go back to work today, whether it is work you get paid for, work you volunteer for, or just work that you must do to get by, don’t see it as cursed and dreaded. Look for the creative God-reflecting assignment you can do that uncovers the human being that you are, and not just the human doing!

If you know Jesus, enjoy the work you have been given, no matter how insignificant it may seem, as something that you get to do in partnership with God because His presence lives in you!