Through the creative influence and initiation of God we are meant to be inspired and empowered to do meaningful work here in this life. However, work and effort require a balance between labor and rest. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, we read, "By the seventh day God has finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done."Right now the world of work and economic activity is out balance and failing to produce the kind of employment and income needed to provide income for many. We are in a period of "recession" or drawing back..... back from greed, avarice, hubris and deception. The balance and rhythm of our world has been disrupted. By and large the world lives apart from the initial blueprint that God had laid out for it. We tend to swing from one extreme to the next. We are commanded to both rest and labor. But before we can really labor in peace and sustained prosperity we must first know God and his love. There is an inner rest for those whose sin is removed by an amazing Savior: Jesus Christ. What if the ailing car companies of America decided that in order to save $ they would fire all design engineers and simply "rough out" the design and planning of their present and future cars. They would "save" salaries in the short term but ensure that no one would buy their cars... because poor and unreliable design and planning ensure failure. But what of our individual lives... can we cheat ourselves with no direction, no planning, no input from our design engineer? (God created and designed you intricately: see Psalm 139) When we work without a sense of direction from our creator we are guaranteed to fail and our souls are grieved.... we sense that something is missing! There is no satisfaction in doing work for which we were not created. Yes, God had something specific in mind when he created YOU. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Amazingly, God has prepared your employment and calling IN ADVANCE! If you are reading this and dissatisfied in your employment or perhaps unemployed... take heart God has prepared something for you to do in each and every phase of your life. But what are you supposed to do with your life right now? If you rely on friends, job counselors, professors and the media you have every reason to be depressed and confused.... alas they did not create you and cannot speak to the deepest parts of who you REALLY ARE. You must know God. You must communicate with your "design engineer". He is not so remote and unavailable as you might think. He came into this world in a stunning breakthrough of imaginative love and power: born of a virgin... in a stable... perfect God and perfect Man. A Savior who was touched by all the pain and suffering of this world in which you and I live. He tasted death on a cruel cross and conquered death. He is alive and he wants to talk to you today..... about your dreams, your fears, your hopes and yes, he wants to direct your life's work.... for he has prepared a place for you of satisfaction, provision, blessing and pure pleasure. Why don't you pray with me today? God, Open the eyes of my heart so that I might see you, see your plan, see your and embrace your love and have a life filled with joy, meaning, peace and purpose! Thank you GOD!
Jim
