by Barbara Latta
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| Balancing work, rest and play |
Labor Day is a
holiday observed in the United States to give workers an opportunity to be recognized
for their labor.
God gave Adam a job to do in the Garden of Eden before there were any weeds to pull or crops to grow. Productivity was His goal. After the fall, work became labor for survival. But God even had a plan for that. We don't have to toil in despair when we follow His guidelines for work.
He shows us how diligent work is rewarded. Slothfulness
does not glorify God and neither does running our bodies and minds into
exhaustion. We should live a balanced life between work, rest and play.
Here are a few scriptures regarding work on a list I have named Words for the Work Week. These are all taken from the New American Standard Bible translation.
When you shall eat of
the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you (Psalm
128:2).
He who tills his land
will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense (Proverbs
12:11).
A man will be
satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, and the deeds of a man’s hands
will return to him (Proverbs 12:14).
In all labor there is
profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty (Proverbs 14:23).
I have seen that
nothing is better that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his
lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? (Ecclesiastes
3:7).
Let the favor of the
Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm
the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17).
When you shall eat of
the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you (Psalm
90:2).
Do not work for the
food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the
Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal (John
6:27).
In everything I
showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed
to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).
And to make it your
ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with
your hands, just as we commanded you (1 Thessalonians 4:11).
Do you see a man
skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before
obscure men (Proverbs 22:29).
Whatever you do, do
your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the
Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance it is the Lord Christ whom
you serve (Colossians 3:23).
The hand of the
diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor (Proverbs 12:24).
When we see labor through God's eyes, we have a different view of our mission here on earth. As we observe Labor Day this week, remember that we are working for the Lord Jesus Christ and not for ourselves.
Happy Labor Day!
Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
TWEETABLES
Do everything as if serving the Lord is something I have to remind myself often. Being a wife and mom means much of my work is thankless and unappreciated. I used to get bitter about it, but realized that God sees me, my work is for Him. The people in my home may get the earthly benefit, but He gets the glory.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, the work of a wife and mom is the hardest work ever! God sees your labor for your family and He will richly reward you. Yes, you and all of us who are parents, are working for the Lord raising the next generation. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteThank you for these words and the helpful scriptures. You'd think a pastor would get this, but the truth is most pastors lean toward the "running our bodies and minds into exhaustion" side of your warning. There's no time for sloth, but we need to be reminded to rest. Thanks for your honest nudge.
ReplyDeleteJoshua, I imagine the work of a pastor is a never ending job. I'm sure it is difficult to make yourself stop and rest because the enemy will tell you that you are neglecting your congregation. I hope you find the rest you need. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteWonderful post Ms. Barbara. When I think about the Labor Day holiday, I often remember the wonderful getaways my wife and I used to go on all around the U.S. Another scripture I think of on these occasions is Luke 10:7. Thank you for sharing wonderful reminders to find balance in all we do ma'am.
ReplyDeleteJ.D., Luke 10:7 is another great verse about labor. The laborer is worthy of his wages when we are serving the Lord. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteA favorite of mine has always been Colossians 3:23, but a newer favorite is Psalm 90:2. Thanks for sharing - great Labor Day scripture reminders!!
ReplyDeletePsalm 90:2 is a great one to hold on to to put the focus on how great God is. And I also love Colossians 3:23 reminding us that we work for the Lord. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing some key verses on how to balance work and rest. God's Word is good stuff.
ReplyDeleteYes, His Word is sure good stuff! Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
DeleteAs a farm girl, we always labored on Labor Day since it was a holiday from school. But, my family inspired (demanded?) a strong work ethic that continues many years later. Probably my biggest problem now is balancing work and other pursuits that are also important. Thanks for the timely reminder.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I think you were quite fortunate to live on a farm and learn that work ethic. I think we all have the problem with balancing work and life. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!
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