Working for a Living

Most people spend four to eight years going to school to learn how to do it. Once we are done with learning how to do it, most Americans will spend a minimum of 80,000 hours--or 10,000 days--of their lives doing it. If we can't do enough of it, we risk losing what we have. If we try to do too much of it, we risk losing our health and our families. We can starve if we do too little, and we can burn ourselves out if we emphasize it too strongly.

Work. It's as old as humanity, but it's still a source of pressure and struggle for most of us. Whether you hold a traditional job in the market place, or if you put in your hours toiling as a stay-at-home mom, your vocation is no doubt one of the dominant themes of your life. With Labor Day coming up this Monday to honor our work force, I hope you enjoy the extra day of rest from your labors, and fully appreciate the opportunities you have to work.

Work has been a major topic for many of us the past few years, with our economy reeling and many struggling to find or keep employment. It's certainly a stressful time, especially in a corporate world where "downsizing" is the order of the day and many of our jobs teeter on the brink of being eliminated at any time. There's also constant stress on the job itself, with long hours, high expectations, and trying to pay the bills with what we bring home. And I haven't even mentioned having to put up with an ornery boss or a whining co-worker. Working for a living is hard work!

It's important we remember that we don't have to face our employment by ourselves, that our occupation is as important to God as it is to us. It was God who invented work--contrary to popular belief, work itself is not a curse--and He desires that we provide for our families, and honor Him, through our work.

The Bible speaks volumes on the subject of work and God's will for how we approach our vocation. The very wise King Solomon wrote these words in Ecclesiastes5:18: "It is good and proper for a man to eat and drink and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him."

All that to say on this Labor Day weekend...keep up the good work! May God bless you in your job, may He use you in your work place, and may He be honored in all you do as you find satisfaction in your toilsome labor.

I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

--Pastor Ken

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