By Chaplain (Col) Stephen W. Leonard, USA, Ret.
“I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
The young men who come to The Paul Anderson Youth Home normally leave here with a good work ethic. They certainly enjoy work much more than they did, which we truly desire for them, because this is in the heart of God. He is a constant worker, in a much higher way than we are, but, I believe, one element of being created in God’s image is enjoying work as a truly worthy calling.
When my 98 year old father was within two hours of his death, my wife asked him what he was looking forward to doing in heaven. His answer through his labored breathing was one word: “Work.” Dad loved to work. Work was his joy and satisfaction. Why not continue in eternity doing with joy what we were created to do.
In a new heaven and new earth, we will not lay around in an unemployed, leisurely fashion, but we will be employed in creative work, laboring with our hands and minds in godly endeavors, loving every minute of it.
So, in this life, in preparation for our eternal home, we should be employed in working to the glory of God, for our joy and satisfaction. We ought to love producing the results of our own work, seeing all that can be accomplished as we use our gifts to praise God.
Jesus worked with His hands and as a servant of others during His life on earth. He also is and was a fellow craftsman with His Father both in creating all things and in their sustainment. He sets for us an example to follow.
Labor Day is the human creation of a holiday to celebrate work. As we celebrate this Labor Day theme, may we rest in the thought of the genuine joy of our calling and the employment of our hands, bodies, and minds in the work God has purposed for us to accomplish.
Man does not ultimately employ us, but it is God who rules over us and is the primary One whom we seek to please in all our endeavors. Work to bring Him glory! And as you do, take comfort and satisfaction from your work, while doing it unto Him as your chief focus and goal. Soli Deo Gloria!
Encouragement
“Go labor on: spend and be spent, your joy to do the Father’s will; it is the way the Master went; should not the servant tread it still?”(1st verse of Horatius Bonar’s hymn, “Go, Labor On,” 1843)
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