Work in God’s Kingdom
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 07 Aug 2011 in From Steve's Study ::
So much of our lives is taken up with work. For many in our congregation, work days of 10, 11 or 12 hours are not uncommon, with numerous trips taking them away from family, church and friends. Those who work in the home know that you never “clock off” from the many jobs that need to be done: ferrying children around the place, being “nurse” to their many ailments, acting as “master chef” to the marauding hordes, trying to keep a handle on washing, cleaning and much more besides.
We spend so much time doing these things, but what place do they have in the kingdom of God? Are they of any importance, or are we only really doing God’s work when we are going to church or talking to someone about Jesus?
I found an interesting quote from Martin Luther the other day, which lifts these activities out of the “mundane” or “secular” and shows how they are all part of our daily worship of God:
“If you are a craftsman you will find the Bible placed in your workshop, in your hands, in your heart; it teaches you how you ought to treat your neighbor. Only look at your tools, your needle, your thimble, your beer barrel, your tools of trade, your scales, your measures, and you will find this saying written on them. You will not be able to look anywhere where it does not strike your eyes. None of the things with which you deal daily are too trifling to tell you this incessantly, if you are but willing to hear it; and there is no lack of such transactions, commodities, tools and other implements in your house and estate; and they shout this to your face, ‘My dear, use me toward your neighbor as you would want him to act toward you with that which is his’.”
In other words, everything we do is part of our worship of God and our service of others. Even in the mundane and menial, we can find opportunities to honour God and to live out our love for him and those around us.
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