Work as worship... AND Charles Wesley.

Those of you who watch my little videos or listen to 'The Ministry and Me' (the radio show I do on radio pulpit, see http://www.radiopulpit.co.za , and sometimes repost here) would have heard me saying that 'work can be worship'.

I do believe that EVERY activity should be directed towards honouring God.  

The false dualism between sacred acts and secular acts is not in keeping with the faith of the Bible!  God is the God of all of life, there is no part of life that God does has no interest in (double negative... I know!)

I've had a few people contact me to say that we must not worship work.  I agree with that wholeheartedly!  But, how we do our work, what we do without the hours of our workday, and how we establish God's gracious, inclusive, and transformative Kingdom within our work lives can transform our tasks, energy and creativity in acts of declaring the worthiness of the God who sets us to our daily tasks (or at very least sustains us through them!)  Col 3.23-24 speaks so clearly of this, that we should work as if we're working for Christ.  

As a signatory of the Unashamedly Ethical pledge form (see http://www.unashamedlyethical.com and have a look at the individual pledge form) I have committed myself to working diligently and wholeheartedly.  Sure, this will please my employer.  But, sometimes it will not!  My diligence is to Christ!  So, if I am required to do something, or behave towards someone, in a way that is inconsistent with the principles of God and God's Kingdom then I shall choose the more worthy way, that is, the way of Jesus.  I rise early and go to bed late, and yes I am productive and careful.  I am a good steward and I hope that I am a valued servant.  But, ultimately I put my hand and my heart to the tasks of the day for the sake of serving Christ.  I can live (and die) for that!

This quote, from Charles Wesley (the hymn write and brother of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism), offered me encouragement in my daily task.

Forth in thy name, O Lord, I go,  my daily labor to pursue; thee, only thee, resolved to know in all I think or speak or do. - Charles Wesley, from his hymn "Forth in Thy Name, O Lord"

As always I would love to hear your perspectives, insights, and feedback!

Comments

[Reformed and Renewed]

So we live out our salvation in the workplace...I have often seen some people be one kind of person at church and quite another at home and work. That does not wrok for me it is severely hypocritical. We are to Be true to Christ and His Word.
There is a particular danger in hypocrisy in the full time ministry. Something one has to be very careful about.

[Reformed and Renewed]

So we live out our salvation in the workplace...I have often seen some people be one kind of person at church and quite another at home and work. That does not wrok for me it is severely hypocritical. We are to Be true to Christ and His Word.
There is a particular danger in hypocrisy in the full time ministry. Something one has to be very careful about.

[be thou my vision]

We cannot serve two masters at the same time so if we want we must learn to prioritize and choose one of these.

[digitaldion (Dion Forster)]

Thanks for the comments!

A question for 'be thou my vision' - I'm not sure if I understand your comment correctly. Are you saying that work and service of Christ are incompatible (i.e., that any form of work competes with serving Christ and so it is not proper for a Christian to work)? Or, are you saying that service of Christ (and work done for Christ) must be a Christians primary priority?

If it is the former, I'm afraid that I have to disagree - I believe that scripture is filled with both verses and themes that extol the value of labour and work! Moreover, if one does not work how will one contribute to society? Who would staff the hospitals and schools of our nation? Surely these persons are doing a God honouring task?

If your comment suggests that latter assumption, then I agree, Christ must be our priority in all things!

Thanks again for the comment! If you do stop by please clarify what you intended, it would be a great help for future readers of this post.

Rich blessing,

Dion