Work

Working is a gift from God – a pre-fall, pre-sin, pre-curse gift. While sin’s consequence injected obstacles and pain into the equation (“the ground will produce thorns” leading to work “by the sweat of your brow” – Gen.3:18, 19), the commission to work preceded the fall (“God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work” – Gen.2:15). Even in the first chapters of the Bible we are introduced to God who is said to be at “work” in creating his universe (Gen.2:2). And remember that in the perfect and blessed order of things in the New Jerusalem work is not extracted: we are told that God’s “servants will serve him” (Rev.22:3). It may be hard to believe but even now we can experience a taste of God’s perfect design for work as we adopt a new mindset about our labor. It is not a curse. It does not have to be drudgery. It can be a foreshadowing of your eternal home. Notice the Christian perspective on work (even the most demanding work) in Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men, since you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (3:22-24). So let’s stop dreading Monday morning, instead let us express a godly passion to work with all of our hearts for the glory of our King. He is coming, and he will compensate us for how we tackled our nine-to-five.

Time

The Bible makes a sweeping and comprehensive point when we are rhetorically asked, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). Consider the magnitude of that question. Scripture goes on to definitively clarify that the Source and Purpose of all the things we tend to feel so possessive of is in fact Jesus Christ himself – “all things were created through him and for him” we are told (Colossians 1:16). That undoubtedly includes time itself. Yet few things feel more “ours” than “our time.” But in reality it is not ours at all. As thoughtful Christians have always been careful to point out, we have no ability to make or retain time. We are transient recipients and stewards of each day and every hour. When we irrationally believe that our evenings, weekends or the years of our life are our own to spend as we please, we operate under a false pretense that will one day be suddenly dispelled. Recall how much of Christ’s teaching instilled the principle of accountability and stewardship. “Now after a long time,” Jesus continued to impress on his hearers, “the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them” (Matthew 25:19). Our time must be seen as a divine gift. It is not ours to spend, it is his, lent to us to invest for his glory and the advancement of his kingdom. So be wise and “make the best use of the time” (Ephesians 5:16) knowing from whom it comes.

For more sermons and devotionals on Time, please go to the Focal Point Ministries website at www.focalpointministries.org.