God’s Design For His Creation

From The Holy Grind Devotional Series

Today I’m sharing devotion number three in the Holy Grind Devotional Series. In this episode, I highlight how work is part of God’s design for creation.

God’s Design For His Creation – S4 E3

Focus Verse

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (NIV) – Genesis 2:15

Devotion

As people, we sometimes see work as inherently bad. I’m not saying we think this consciously; rather, our attitudes reveal this mindset.

We think of people who serve others as somehow beneath everyone else (even stay-at-home mums are considered less than working mums in some circles!); we reward ourselves with the comfort of snacks and TV after a long day of work, as if that having fun and comfort is what life is really about; and we live for the weekends and holidays, as if the only purpose of work is to get money to pay for entertainment and real enjoyment.

Yet, in the upside down Kingdom, it is not so. Jesus himself showed us that it is better to serve than be served, and He demonstrated the kind of work that pleases the Father: working in surrender to God’s will.

Jesus did not work to pay for a weekend away in the sun. Jesus worked to serve God. Jesus did not see work as bad, nor did he think rest was somehow better than work. Rather, He demonstrated how both are part of God’s plan for humanity. 

In fact, looking at today’s verse, we see that work is not a curse of the fall, as it existed before sin came into the world. Work is part of God’s design, and it is a wonderful blessing from Him to His creation. Granted; after the fall, work became toilsome and painful. Yet, even so, it is God’s will that we work – in surrender to Him. 

Questions for reflection

• Can you remember a time when you worked unto the Lord and you felt blessed?
• How can you teach your children this beautiful truth about work being a blessing when it is done in surrender to God?

Prayer

Lord, I pray that as mums we would set good examples to our children, that we would show them the importance of work in the Upside Down Kingdom – to glorify You. Help us show our children that both work and rest are part of Your design, and help us work with the right motivations. That we wouldn’t work just to get money or just to get enjoyment or entertainment, but rather that we would work to serve You and exemplify that to our children. Amen.