About Work (2)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have a right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”” 2 Thessalonians 3v7-10 (NIV)

The Bible does have a number of things to say about working. Here we see that the one who is unwilling to work was not supposed to eat. Because for example, if everybody decided not to work, there would be no improvement, no food, no money, nothing! Yet God Himself worked, creating heaven and earth and all that is in it as we see in Genesis 1, and continues to work. John 5v17 (AMP) says “But Jesus answered them, My Father has worked [even] until now, [He has never ceased working; He is still working] and I, too, must be at [divine] work.” Colossians 3v23-24 (TLB) says “Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord and not merely for your masters, remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all He owns. He is the One you are really working for.” Hallelujah! Let us have this in mind in everything we put our hands to do – whether our bosses can see us or not, it is the Lord Jesus Christ we are working for. We remember Joseph in Potiphar’s house, God was with Him there and made whatever he did to prosper. We therefore see that whatever we are doing, God is interested in it and can help us to prosper in it. Furthermore the integrity we show in our place of work (like Joseph refusing to sleep with his master’s wife though she kept asking him) reflects our relationship with God. Later on, through Joseph’s position as the prime minister, God used it to save the children of Israel from famine and dying of hunger. What is your attitude towards work? What is your character like in the place of work?

Supplementary Text

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.” Genesis 39v1-5 (NIV)

Prayer

Father, I thank You because You are interested in my work. I ask for forgiveness for everyway I have not glorified You with my work, either by not doing right on it or by being sloppy with it. Forgive me as well for every wrong attitude. I commit the work of my hands into Your hands. Please help me with it. Be with me as You were with Joseph, and let me be prosperous and a blessing everywhere I go and everywhere I work to the glory of Your name in Jesus name, amen.