On Labor Day

When God created our world He taught us some things about work.  First of all, there is the fact that God works, and this tells us that work is important and valuable.  Next, we learn that God worked with great enjoyment.  Every time He created something He pronounced it good or very good.  If you're like me, you've felt the deep satisfaction you can get from a task completed and a job well done.  God felt that in His work, and He wants us to feel that way about our work too. 

I read a passage from a book by John Ortberg that opens our eyes to what it would be like if God approached His work the way we often do.  I've shared many times since I read it and thought it would be appropriate to share it on this Labor Day.

"In the beginning, it was nine o'clock, so God had to go to work.  He filled out a requisition to separate light from darkness.  He considered making stars to beautify the night, and planets to fill the skies, but thought it sounded like too much work; and besides, thought God, 'That's not my job.' So he decided to knock off early and call it a day.  And he looked at what he had done and he said, 'It'll have to do.'

"On the second day God separated the waters from the dry land.  And he made all the dry land flat, plain, and functional, so that-- behold-- the whole earth looked like Idaho.  He thought about making mountains and valleys and glaciers and jungles and forests, but he decided it wouldn't be worth the effort.  And God looked at what he had done that day and said, 'It'll have to do.'

"And God made a pigeon to fly in the air, and a carp to swim in the waters, and a cat to creep upon dry ground.  And God thought about making millions of other species of all sizes and shapes and colors, but he couldn't drum up any enthusiasm for any other animals-- in fact, he wasn't too crazy about the cat.  Besides, it was almost time for the Late Show.  So God looked at all that he had done, and God said, 'It'll have to do.'

"And at the end of the week, God was seriously burned out.  So he breathed a big sigh of relief and said, ' Thank Me, it's Friday.'

So people are working at jobs where they find no joy or satisfaction. You hear it all the time in the way they talk about what they do.  But joy and satisfaction doesn't come necessarily from the particular job we have to do, but mainly from the attitude we choose to have as we work.  Even the most menial of jobs can be very rewarding if approached in the right way.

We find the right attitude in Colossians 3:17:  "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." Just as God pronounced his work good and very good, we should strive to work in such a way that we, too, can feel that the work we do is good and even very good.

So. may you find joy in your work and satisfaction in a job well done, whatever that may look like in your life.

Happy Labor Day!