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Foundations for Life (IV): Work is Comprehensive (Gen 2:15).
Prayer
Our Lord and our God, we give praise and thanks to you. You are our God, our maker, and our shepherd and our keeper. Lord, we thank you for the gift of life and for the instruction that you provide for us in your word. We pray as we give our attention again to your word now. Please help us, Lord, to be doers of the word, to respond to what we hear, to understand and to practice your will. We thank you for your mercies to us in Christ and we ask, may you forgive us for our sins and lead us in your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Reading
Genesis 2:.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Meditation
Work is far bigger than you can actually imagine. It’s comprehensive. What I mean by that is that this task of dominion, this calling to work and keep the garden, is actually a calling to fill everything. There’s no place on earth which will be excluded, no aspect of human life that is irrelevant. When God made the world, he filled it with a potential that we can barely even begin to imagine. For those of us who were alive in 1995, who could have guessed what our phones would be capable of doing in 2024? And God wants us to develop all of it.
As we studied verses 10 through 14 previously, we saw the way that the river flowing from Eden gives us a picture of life itself flowing out from Eden to water the whole earth. This principle carries over into our work as well. As we discover, unpack, and fill the world with godly industry and work, his blessing, excellence, and glory will expand. Whether it’s Luther’s shoe maker, or a musician, an engineer, a teacher, or an artist. Be it building or farming, law-making or boat making, whether it’s mothering or gardening, building space ships or micro chips. Whether it’s designing new apps, or launching new businesses, running a side business or pursuing a hobby. Be it serving in church or hospitality. Worshipping God, labouring to go deeper into his word, all of life belongs to God and he calls us to work in all of it. Whether we are men, women, or children, work is comprehensive.
In the words of Abraham Kuyper, there is not a square inch in all of creation where Christ does not say: “Mine!” It’s all his, and he calls us to develop it, to serve with it, and to multiply it. He calls us to see it grow and flourish, to push the boundaries further and further. He wants to see his world grow, he wants to see every single area of life sing back his praises, reflect of his own glorious design. And in our work we get to take part in this plan! Six days shall you labour and do all your work… as Dr Del Tackett, I believe, once said: “You get to work!”
And what will become of all this? As we read in Isaiah 11:9: “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” That’s a wonderful vision isn’t it?
Be ye doers of the word…
As we consider the practical implications of this, there is a tragedy of first importance that we need to realise: Adam failed. When the time came for him to step up to the plate, to work and keep the garden, he failed. He abdicated his calling and, as a result, he became a selfish, sinful shadow of what he was supposed to be. Death then entered the scene, and the fruit that was supposed to fill the earth was choked by thorns and thistles. The garden that was so rich and fertile became a wilderness and the ground was cursed. Man’s labour became harsh and hard. His life, which was designed to flourish eternally, became short and brutish.
But the good news is that the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, didn’t fail. In John 5:17 Jesus said: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”” Adam was meant to begin that work so that life could flourish in the world, but because of his disobedience he instead brought death. When Christ came to serve, however, he undid death. Through his work on the cross, he restored life again. The original purpose for life to flourish and flow eternally was restored through Christ, and the cursed tree of the cross became a new tree of life for the healing of all the nations.
As you go about your work, then, you must never forget this: that all our work is what it is because of Christ’s work. Even as we do our work each day, we rest in Christ’s work on our behalf. Our work and all its fruit is a gift from him who did all the work that was necessary for us to live. The work that we couldn’t do for ourselves, obedience to the law of God, he did. We do still fail as Adam did, but we no longer labour under the futility of Adam’s failure. We now work in the certainty and blessing of Christ’s accomplishments. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
As you then follow Christ, know that he will reward your work. Do you ever feel under appreciated? Do you feel like you’re pouring yourself out, and no one is noticing? God notices, and he will reward you. SDG.
Prayer of Confession & Consecration
Lord and God, thank you for the wonders of this world that you've made, and thank you for the calling that you've given us to work in this world. Lord, we pray that you'd help us to see every area of our lives under your reign and rule. Lord, if there are areas in our lives that we have previously not considered, help us to pause and reflect and understand how it is that we may serve you in these areas. Lord, help us to be wholly dedicated to you. Our sinful nature wages war against our hearts. Please deliver us, strengthen and help us that we may serve, honour and glorify you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Get full access to Old things New. at rcbhpastor.substack.com/subscribe
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By Reformed devotions from all of scripture.Prayer
Our Lord and our God, we give praise and thanks to you. You are our God, our maker, and our shepherd and our keeper. Lord, we thank you for the gift of life and for the instruction that you provide for us in your word. We pray as we give our attention again to your word now. Please help us, Lord, to be doers of the word, to respond to what we hear, to understand and to practice your will. We thank you for your mercies to us in Christ and we ask, may you forgive us for our sins and lead us in your ways. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Reading
Genesis 2:.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Meditation
Work is far bigger than you can actually imagine. It’s comprehensive. What I mean by that is that this task of dominion, this calling to work and keep the garden, is actually a calling to fill everything. There’s no place on earth which will be excluded, no aspect of human life that is irrelevant. When God made the world, he filled it with a potential that we can barely even begin to imagine. For those of us who were alive in 1995, who could have guessed what our phones would be capable of doing in 2024? And God wants us to develop all of it.
As we studied verses 10 through 14 previously, we saw the way that the river flowing from Eden gives us a picture of life itself flowing out from Eden to water the whole earth. This principle carries over into our work as well. As we discover, unpack, and fill the world with godly industry and work, his blessing, excellence, and glory will expand. Whether it’s Luther’s shoe maker, or a musician, an engineer, a teacher, or an artist. Be it building or farming, law-making or boat making, whether it’s mothering or gardening, building space ships or micro chips. Whether it’s designing new apps, or launching new businesses, running a side business or pursuing a hobby. Be it serving in church or hospitality. Worshipping God, labouring to go deeper into his word, all of life belongs to God and he calls us to work in all of it. Whether we are men, women, or children, work is comprehensive.
In the words of Abraham Kuyper, there is not a square inch in all of creation where Christ does not say: “Mine!” It’s all his, and he calls us to develop it, to serve with it, and to multiply it. He calls us to see it grow and flourish, to push the boundaries further and further. He wants to see his world grow, he wants to see every single area of life sing back his praises, reflect of his own glorious design. And in our work we get to take part in this plan! Six days shall you labour and do all your work… as Dr Del Tackett, I believe, once said: “You get to work!”
And what will become of all this? As we read in Isaiah 11:9: “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” That’s a wonderful vision isn’t it?
Be ye doers of the word…
As we consider the practical implications of this, there is a tragedy of first importance that we need to realise: Adam failed. When the time came for him to step up to the plate, to work and keep the garden, he failed. He abdicated his calling and, as a result, he became a selfish, sinful shadow of what he was supposed to be. Death then entered the scene, and the fruit that was supposed to fill the earth was choked by thorns and thistles. The garden that was so rich and fertile became a wilderness and the ground was cursed. Man’s labour became harsh and hard. His life, which was designed to flourish eternally, became short and brutish.
But the good news is that the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, didn’t fail. In John 5:17 Jesus said: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”” Adam was meant to begin that work so that life could flourish in the world, but because of his disobedience he instead brought death. When Christ came to serve, however, he undid death. Through his work on the cross, he restored life again. The original purpose for life to flourish and flow eternally was restored through Christ, and the cursed tree of the cross became a new tree of life for the healing of all the nations.
As you go about your work, then, you must never forget this: that all our work is what it is because of Christ’s work. Even as we do our work each day, we rest in Christ’s work on our behalf. Our work and all its fruit is a gift from him who did all the work that was necessary for us to live. The work that we couldn’t do for ourselves, obedience to the law of God, he did. We do still fail as Adam did, but we no longer labour under the futility of Adam’s failure. We now work in the certainty and blessing of Christ’s accomplishments. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
As you then follow Christ, know that he will reward your work. Do you ever feel under appreciated? Do you feel like you’re pouring yourself out, and no one is noticing? God notices, and he will reward you. SDG.
Prayer of Confession & Consecration
Lord and God, thank you for the wonders of this world that you've made, and thank you for the calling that you've given us to work in this world. Lord, we pray that you'd help us to see every area of our lives under your reign and rule. Lord, if there are areas in our lives that we have previously not considered, help us to pause and reflect and understand how it is that we may serve you in these areas. Lord, help us to be wholly dedicated to you. Our sinful nature wages war against our hearts. Please deliver us, strengthen and help us that we may serve, honour and glorify you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Get full access to Old things New. at rcbhpastor.substack.com/subscribe