March 6, 2019
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” – Genesis 2:15
We probably think of paradise as a place of endless relaxation where we are free from work. However, this is not the picture we are given in Scripture. In the Garden of Eden, before a single sin had entered the world, the Bible tells us that God placed Adam there in order for him to work and care for the garden. We often read the account of the fall of man and think that laboring away each day is part of our punishment. But that is not true. The effect of sin is that we toil and labor with very few results. The punishment is that our work would be in vain.
Work is not a result of sin. Instead, it is a beautiful reflection of the nature of God. Richard Foster says, “We glorify God in our labor because we most closely approximate the Creator when we engage in the creative activity of our work.” God is an active and creative God. We, as people in his image, are meant to be the same. The greatest pleasure is not endless inactivity or relaxation. The greatest pleasure is seeing the beautiful fruit of your labor. So overcome the effects of sin today, not by ceasing to work, but by praying that God would make the work of your hands successful and effective (1 Corinthians 3:7).
Lord God, we desire for our work to bear fruit; eternal fruit. So in everything we do today, whether sculpting a statue or cleaning a bathroom, let us work for You and not for men. Give great increase to the work of our hands. Let our daily labor be fellowship with You.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon
