Working for God

For many people, work is a part of everyday life. They get up, go to work (or school), come back home, go to sleep, and do it all over again the next day. It is the cycle of life. But did you know that from the beginning of Creation, God has always had a job for humans?

In Genesis 2:15, "God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it." God made the garden so Adam would have a place to work. However, aside from God's direct command to tend to the garden, it seems that working is a part of God's nature, and humans can reflect His nature when they work actively and diligently (Proverbs 6:6-11). Despite the perfection of God's creation, when Adam and Eve broke the rules, the curse turned work from a pleasant task into a hardship of pain and suffering.

The New Testament also talks about working. Beginning in the gospel accounts, "work" and "worker" are used to describe the ministry of the Gospel. In the book of John, Jesus referred to Himself as doing the work of God (4:34), the work of healing (5:17), and the work of redemption (17:4). Paul also used such phrases as "worked very hard in the Lord" (Romans 16:12) and a "worker" to refer to Timothy, whose work consisted of correctly teaching the Truth.

Today, we should want to follow in Paul's and Timothy's footsteps, working diligently for the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 says that "whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Both the Old Testament and New Testament teach that work brings a sense of joy, satisfaction, dignity, and respect. God's people are not only to put forth their best efforts to accomplish their tasks, but are also called upon to maintain the highest moral standards as they carry out their daily jobs.

Whether you are at school or doing your chores around the house, do your best—work hard!

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