Now I don't want to get off on a rant here...

God's Glory in Our Work

Rusty Kelley at Common Grounds Online has struck a nerve or rather touched on an aspect of our calling that runs deep in many hearts including mine. This has become a daily struggle for me as I seek to glorify God in all that I do. There is a great discussion going on there about God’s Glory in Our Work.

For many Christians, like myself, who work in a secular environment, as opposed to vocational ministry, there exists a tension of how to spend one’s time in order to “Glorify God” fully, We understand that the goal is to “glorify God and enjoy him forever” as the Westminster Confession states, but how to do this at all times when working as a janitor or an accountant is not always evident.

Here is my response as my comment turned rather lengthy and I decided it would be better suited as an entry on my own blog. It touches on some aspects of recent discussions that have taken place here and I think it may reveal some of my own perspective on those related topics.

I think one of the most unfortunate lies, at least to a believer, of our culture is the “separation of church and state” or the separation of holy and secular. To a Christian, should there be anything secular or is our worship to be complete permeating every aspect of our lives?

The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 21 says, “The light of nature sheweth that there is a God, who hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is good, and doth good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the might....God is to be worshipped everywhere, in spirit and truth...” No matter what our vocation is we are called to worship and trust in His sovereignty to work out His eternal purposes in our lives.

I also struggle with my vocation, Director of Management Information Systems for a small non-profit, and whether this is my calling or if this is my training in perseverance. Paul was forced to spend several years in Tarsus after his conversion “toiling the land” most likely as a tent maker before Barnabas came to bring him back into the direct ministry of others in Antioch (Acts 9 – 11). Moses was a shepherd for 40 years before he was asked to lead his people out of Egypt (Exodus 2 – 3).

Not only did Adam have work to do before the fall but after the fall as well and it was only going to get tougher. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3: 17-19)

It is our call then to spend our lives in patient waiting and perseverance, with long-suffering abiding in the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ until that day we return home. To that end we worship him in all that we do for all is holy and nothing is secular. At least that is how I get through my day at work as each day begins with this simple prayer, “Lord do an amazing work in me today!”, repeated over and over again.

Posted by price at June 21, 2005 12:18 PM | TrackBack