Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Work (07/27/06)
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TITLE: Truly Work | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carol Maresca
08/02/06 -
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I can’t get the idea out of my head: the scene is the Garden of Eden. “They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves…..”*
They must have been very confused, maybe frightened, thinking that they could avoid God and thus avoid whatever “punishment” would come with disobedience. But we just can’t hide from the Lord God. He always knows where we are. There is always a price to pay for disobedience. Adam and Eve couldn’t hide any longer, nor could the serpent. He found them all, punished the serpent, punished Eve – although she probably didn’t quite understand what it meant: “In pain you shall bring forth children……”,* and then to Adam.
Poor Adam, last but not least: “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread…….” *
Adam was punished, not because he ate the fruit, but because he listened to the wrong voice. And for that, he and his wife were cast out. How terrifying to be cast out! The bible does not say it, but they must have become proficient in taking care of themselves very quickly and I’m sure with unseen help from the Lord. So Adam found out what “work” really means…he had to dig in the ground, probably with sticks or bones fashioned into tools. There were probably days when he worked from sun up to sun down and the sweat of his brow rolled off into the ground. And his arms and legs and back ached. Work was never an easy thing. It wasn’t meant to be easy. Those valiant men who drive the tractors and trailers and combines today really don’t have it very easy just because of the machines – the work just changed a little, but it is still toil.
I think work was created to give us a second chance: a second chance to be obedient and work for the glory of God? or build a house for someone who doesn’t have one? or work in a mission or volunteer in a hospital, to teach a child to read? Whatever the work you do, no matter the task, if you dedicate it to God’s glory, it becomes more than toil, it becomes a gift. And God will change how you feel about what you do.
I was working from home, typing medical transcription notes. Good grief! After awhile, I thought: my fingers are going to fall off and my mind would numb up and burn. I went outside of the room I was working in, just to get away, even though I was in my own home. I don’t know about anyone else but there are times when I get to the point of really being desperate and not knowing where to go next….I realize why I feel so stressed…I haven’t spoken to my Lord in awhile….I need to talk to Him, to tell Him even though I know He knows, and so I pray, pray, pray. I go back to my office and sign off. My day of work, of toil, is finished for now. I start all over again the following day…Suddenly, I realize something: I’m excited. How could I be excited over medical notes?? Well, God did it! He did exactly what I asked Him to do. As long as I have to work, please Lord help me to see the work the way You see the work, as if I’m typing for the Lord Jesus Himself.
It is an awesome thing to realize that the Lord God is with you every second of every minute of every day. Think about it the next time you want to do something not very God-like: swear, curse, or throw things. When you work with God, things are just better somehow – the work doesn’t change but you do it better, faster and you enjoy doing it!
Thank you Jesus!
All Scripture from The New King James version, THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE BIBLE
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