Work and Rest

Introduction

What Biblical thoughts do you think when you go to work?

How are you consciously guided by contemplation of God’s word in your work?

I think most of us see God’s word as the boundaries that we “do not cross” but we do not see much in the way of active guidance to our mentality about work.

Yet work is where we spend the vast majority of our time.

God’s word doesn’t just give us a short list of behavior to avoid when we are at work (don’t lie, steal, or cheat), rather, it provides us with an entire mindset and worldview about how we approach work.

The Work of God

The creation of the heavens and the earth were work (Gen. 2:1-3).

God moves from formless, void, and darkness to order, produce, and light (Gen. 1:2-25).

The result of work is ownership of the thing produced (Ex. 22:7-12).

He does all of this work to provide for us (Gen. 1:26-31; cf. Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:8).

Wisdom & Work

We rise and fall in this life on the quality of our work (Prov. 22:9).

Hard work can be seen and evaluated.

These are general truths.

Laziness is a destroyer (Prov. 18:9).

Hard work is easier than lazy work (Prov. 15:19).

Hard work satisfies while laziness drives dissatisfaction (Prov. 16:26; 13:4; 21:25-26).

Hard work speaks for itself (Prov. 14:23; 26:13-16).

Work & Rest

Work is good and we are created for it (Gen 2:15).

Good works are not just works directly connected with church.

Good works include good work.

Sin has brought a curse to our work (Gen. 3:17-19).

Work is our default and rest is the exception (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:9-12).

Rest is necessary for those who work (Ex. 34:21).

This is about humility (Lev. 16:31).

It is about trusting that God knows best (Mk. 2:27).

Conclusion

We need to be thinking eternal thoughts in our work (Eph. 6:5-8).

Look around for what of formless and void and dark. Can you bring some order to that? Can you make it fruitful? Can you bring light into the darkness?

Can you do all of that knowing that your heavenly Father sees and knows and will reward you for your labors?

Can you trust God to set work down believe that He will care for you? That it is His property you are working and the owner of it has said trust Me.