Is Your Work God’s Work?
So… I was praying this morning and a funny thing happened.
God told me to get going.
He’s never told me that before.
Usually, I feel like He’s willing to stay there with me for as long as I’m willing to remain in His presence.
But today was different.
It’s like He knew I had a lot to do today and He was giving me permission (possibly even commanding me) to get to work.
Now I’m a bit excited to get my to-do list done knowing my work is sanctioned by God Himself.
It’s like I know His hand will be helping me every step of the way.
It got me thinking about work and how we often think of it as getting in the way of ministry but that’s not what scripture teaches.
Scripture gives us a much higher view of work and our labors.
God gave us “work” even before the fall so work is something God loves and expects from us:
- Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. -Genesis 2:15
- And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God. – Ecclesiastes 3:13
- Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. – Colossians 3:2
- Work hard, but not just to please your masters when they are watching. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. – Ephesians 6:6
- He must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. – Ephesians 4:28
God empowers His people to work:
- Commit your work to the LORD, and then your plans will succeed. – Proverbs 16:3
- The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. – 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
- When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. – Nehemiah 6:16
- May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us– yes, establish the work of our hands. – Psalm 90:17
And finally the fun part! God rewards us for our work:
- But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. – 2 Chronicles 15:7
- A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. – Proverbs 18:16
- The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. – Proverbs 11:18
- Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58
- God will repay each person according to what they have done. – Romans 2:6
- And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9
- But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. – 2 Chronicles 15:7
- His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ – Matthew 25:21
- And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ – Luke 19:17
Now you have a Biblical framework for work.
My honest hope is that you will take it, print it out and keep this list of scriptures with you by your desk or somewhere you can see it when you are struggling with motivation at work.
Remind yourself that God is with you as you work and He is empowering you for success in the work of your hands.
– Andre
P.S. To join us in our work of outreach and evangelism to the homeless and broken in our neighborhood go to:
I know not everyone can hit the streets and spend time on the front line but 1 Samuel 24-30 teaches us that those on the battlefields and those in the supply lines will all share in the reward!
