Today’s Text: Genesis 1-3
Today’s Key Thought: A wise steward of their vocation accepts work as part of their creation.
Most Christians today have believed a lie. The lie that says “Christian ethics and financial success are mutually exclusive.” Men and women have believed that work is a “necessary evil” and it stands apart from Godliness. Yet, the very beginning of time stands contrary to this mindset. Genesis 1-2 paints God in the true picture of “God, the worker”.
In 6 literal days, God worked fervently to create all we know, all 650,000,000,000 known galaxies and all that is in them. God is the author of work. In the beginning of mankind’s creation, right after God breathed the breath of life into Adam, God gave man work. In Genesis 1:28, God says to mankind, “…be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” Genesis 2:15 says “…God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and keep it.” God created mankind with the intention to work. Work existed before the creation of the curse from sin, God had always meant for mankind to work and taste the fruit of their labors. After the entrance of sin however, in Genesis 3:17-19 God declares that work will no longer be as easy as He intended it to be, but would now include hard labor and aggravation.
Application:
How do you view work? Have you believed the lie that work and God are polar opposites? God has created work for you and as a means for you to serve him. Have you accepted work as part of your created purpose? Today’s challenge is to have God’s view of work and use your vocational time to serve the Lord in every capacity available.
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
I don’t know what you mean by work like general work or like just a spacific work, but okay I beileve work to be hard like old plain work like chores, I also believe that god work is hard but I want a good relationship with him do I do it even if I think it’s hard sometimes I do it! 🙂 okay I never heard that lie before that work and God are polar opposites and I don’t real know what polar means yea that meant sound stupid but I don’t know what it means. I have accepted work as my created purpose because we have to work for god and show him we love him it’s awesome that he loves us all the way! 🙂 I accept your challenge hehe
I think like any one, I can get sick of the daily grind for sure. There is no way of getting around work. After the fall, work really did become hard. Everything in our world is corroding and getting older. Things rust, get dirty and need to be replaced. Things don’t stay perfect on their own. I don’t believe that work and God are polar opposites. I do believe He gives us work to serve Him. Look around, there is always something to be done. Just like my mom used to say, “Many hands make light work”. If we had this same mentality in our churches and homes we would accomplish so much more for the Lord. I say embrace the work God has called us to do. Follow Gods own advice and take a day of rest to spend with the Lord on Sundays and to refresh for the week. This is something i am not good at. Maybe my Mondays would look a little different if I were following this instruction. So whether school is your job right now, or raising a family, do it do the glory of the Lord. Everything is important to God even the little jobs.
I think for me, work means school. I’m not old enough to have a real job right now, so I consider my work to be school. Without school, I wouldn’t be able to go out and get a real job when I get older. Although school can be a pain, I think it’s the one thing we have to do as kids (or teens!). We don’t have to work for a living, so we’d be definitely wasting our time if we weren’t in school! And believe it or not, we need school! We learn a lot in school, and even though it seems pointless sometimes, I really do think that it is our “work” for right now.
Since I’m talking about school, I think this challenge is something that can really help me because I don’t like school very much, and I try to get it done as quick as I can! But school is for learning, and I think if I really took my time, I could learn a whole lot more than I am now!
I’m not really sure what you mean by this one…Because for one, i have never heard that God and work are polar opposites….and two, of course you can do work for God. You can help out at church, be a good testimony at your job. Since I don’t really have a legit job yet, i guess my school would be my job. So, the best way i can use that for God is just being a good testimony and sticking up for what I think is right. Also, trying my hardest because alot of times I slack off on my schoolwork because I get tired and bored of the same routine: Go to school, listen to teachers, go home and complete homework. OVer and over….Like alexis said, if I really took the time I could learn a lot more at school. That would definitely please God because He tells us to try our best at everything we do
I take the challenge!! 🙂 and I can’t believe tht it’s been almost a year since we started these devotionals!! 🙂 we started like the week after camp and we r still going on with these!! I’m so greatfull tht these have changed my life as helped me grow! & I’m happy tht all of u guys r on too! I’m sorry I know tht was off topic.. Lol 🙂 but today’s Devo… 🙂 It was great. I believe tht we should all have a certain way tht we look at everything tht god made, its very important! Sorry I’m on late! 😦 I usually get on in the morning but I woke up late but I’m on now!! 🙂 so c u guys Wednesday! 🙂
~Prayer Requests~
1) I start track tmrw!! 🙂 hope tht I do good!
2) my great grandmother still sick
& 3) Ezra for his salvation.
Thanks guys! 🙂
There are definitely things that I do that I consider a curse, but God considers a gift. Today, instead I’d being ungrateful for what I have to do I am going to work hard at it and ask God to help me have the right attitude!