Monday Mornings

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24 ESV). It’s Monday morning and time for most of us to go to work. I must confess that I had a little harder time getting up and going this morning than usual. I guess I have not really “caught up” from my trip to Alaska! However I began to think of the “list” and I was awake and going. Sometimes that is motivation enough. There is another motivation that is much better though. Christopher Wren, who designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London (one of the world's most beautiful buildings), wrote about the reactions of construction workers who were asked what they were doing. Those workers who were bored and tired responded by saying, "I'm laying bricks" or I'm carrying stones." But one worker, who was mixing cement, seemed cheerful and enthusiastic about his work. Asked what he was doing, he replied, "I'm building a magnificent cathedral." Surveys have found that most people hate their work. They don't look forward to going to work; instead they are bored with it and weary of it. They dream of winning the state lottery so they never have to work another day in their lives. God didn't create us to be bored and unfulfilled by our work. He created us to serve Him in everything we do, including our work. "Work" in Scripture is another word for "worship." God wants us to enjoy our work because our work is what brings glory to God. It's one way we worship God. In our reading this morning Paul wrote that we should be happy in our work because we are not working for men, but for God. And to the church in Corinth he wrote, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (Cf.: I Corinthians 10:31) If you look at your work merely as something to do to make a few bucks and survive, you won't be happy in your work. On the other hand, if you decide to glorify God in your work, you will not only be happy as you work, but God will meet all of your needs as well.