“The prayer of the Christian
reaches, therefore, beyond the time allocated to it and extends into the midst
of the work. It surrounds the whole day…it promotes work, affirms work, gives
work great significance and joyfulness. Thus
every word, every deed, every piece of work of the Christian becomes a prayer…”
[Italics mine]. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, Fortress Press, 2015
(Reader’s Edition), page 50.
Do we believe Paul’s words, “Whatever
you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17)? If we believe them, what does
obedience to them look like in our lives?
Do we believe the Holy Spirit
when He says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily [from the soul], as for
the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the
reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (Colossians
3:23 – 24)? Do our lives demonstrate our belief in these words? Can others observing
us see something different in our work, something different about our attitude?
Yes, work can be hard, it can
be challenging, and it can be unfair; it can also be rewarding and fulfilling
and provide us with venues and circumstances to exhibit the grace and mercy and
love of God to others. If work is difficult or unfair then all the more reason
to worship God in the midst of work, all the more reason to offer our work to
Him, knowing that we offer our work and ourselves to the righteous and just
One, committing ourselves and our work to a loving and faithful Creator.
When we share life together we hopefully affirm our
callings and vocations, we hopefully support one another in work, we hopefully
encourage one another in our work. Questions to ask one another are, “How are
you worshipping God in your work? How is God revealing Himself to you in your
work? In your place of work, how do you sense yourself being transformed into
the image of Jesus Christ?”
Work should be sacred, not
secular. Work should be sacramental, a means by which we receive the grace of
God and disseminate that grace to others. Those in vocational ministry of the
Word and sacrament ought to affirm the sacredness of vocation in the lives of
others, rather than (usually unwittingly) disparaging other vocations by
promoting a sacred – secular dichotomy…as well as a clergy – laity dichotomy.
The gift of work is the gift
of coming alongside our Creator – Father and learning to work as God works. The
gift of work encompasses our heart and mind and hands – and all work, no matter
what it may be (other than sinful and rebellious) is on a level field when it
comes to worship, just as all hearts and souls are leveled in the Cross of
Christ. The well-swept floor offered to God is as much exalted worship as a
well-preached sermon, a well-written book, or the leadership of a powerful and
influential organization. A sparkling clean commode offered to God takes its
place alongside a complex symphony written for the glory of Christ. After all,
we can but do what we are gifted to do, we can do only what we are given grace
to do – and perhaps even more importantly, since we are one body (do we believe
that?) then what one member does all members do – so that all glory is given to
Christ Jesus and none to us (if we believe that!). Life together means work together, supporting and encouraging one
another in vocation whatever that vocation might be.
In calling and vocation we are
not accountable for the gifts and graces that we do not have, but for those
which we do have.
Prayer imbues our work, and
our work is to be our prayer. To profane our work is to profane our worship,
and to sanctify our work, to offer it to Jesus Christ, is to offer ourselves in
worship – both as individuals and as His people - sharing life together.
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