Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
—Colossians 3:23-25
Take This Job and Love It
By Mike Tilley
We all have stuff about our jobs that we don’t like: the unreasonable boss; difficult co-workers; demanding people; tedious tasks. As we look past Labor Day, it’s back to the grind. Thankfully, the gospel is good news for business owners, office workers, teachers, and all those in the workplace.
In the Bible we discover that our vocation is a calling. There is not a sacred/secular split. We still have thorns and thistles (thanks to Adam and the fall of mankind) but even now God is redeeming our work. What is the good news? (1) We have a new incentive: not just pleasing our boss, but pleasing God. (2) We have a new zeal, doing our work “heartily.” (3) We have a new reward, not just a paycheck but “an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” And (4) we have a new Master: “...it is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
For prayer:
On Sundays we are “the church gathered,” but throughout the week we are “the church scattered.” Pray for our congregation as God has “scattered” us around the city. Pray that our work will bear the distinctive marks of redeemed people.
Pray for those bearing a heavy weight of responsibility at their work. We do face “thorns and thistles” and many need God’s grace to handle the workload.
Pray for those in our church looking for work, wanting to have a decent income. Pray for open doors, and for God’s provision of “daily bread.”
Jesus said that we are “the salt of the earth and the light of the world.” Pray that our work relationships will create interest in exploring the faith and learning about the hope of the gospel.