By Jacob Davis
Hey y’all, I’m back for round two! It’s February, and I’ve now been part of the Fellows Program for a little over five months. I want to share my thoughts about work and what it means to serve God through work.
At the end of October last year, I was lucky enough to be hired full-time by my employer. My work, in addition to all we do with the church as Fellows, has kept me busier than I’d like to be at times. However, within my new busy schedule, I’ve found such joy.
In a society that often glamorizes the never-ending grind of work culture, it can be easy to forget that there is deep meaning and joy to be found in the work we do. Whether it’s the job we do to support ourselves and our families, chores we do around the house, or shoveling a neighbor’s driveway (how much snow do we need this winter??), work holds a significant place in God’s design for our lives; it is a vital way to live our faith.
It doesn’t take a lot of reading to see that we were created with the intention of working. In Genesis 2:15, we read “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it” (RSV). Even before sin, we were created to engage in meaningful work. Just as God created the world and saw that it was good, I believe that we, too, can create and cultivate through our work, bringing beauty, purpose, and goodness to the spaces and jobs we inhabit.
If we flip way ahead from Genesis to the book of Colossians, we find another clear message about the purpose of work. Colossians 3:23-24 encourages us: “Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ” (RSV). This verse helps me reorient my perspective; we are not merely working for an employer or our next paycheck, but rather for the Lord. In serving Christ through our daily toils and efforts, our work becomes an offering of worship if we are mindful of our intentions.
I believe work is not just about what we do; everyone has a unique calling. For me, I am called to music and to the sciences. I am called to create music in my personal life, and in my work, I am currently designing and creating structures for various museums, both local and throughout the nation, that will drive their patron’s experiences. Others may be called to medicine, education, the arts, or service – you name it! Our faith tells us that no matter how big or small, our efforts through work matter to and serve God.
As we go about our work today, let us remember that it is God who calls us to work, equips us for the task, and finds joy in our efforts. Let our hearts be filled with purpose, and let our hands be busy with joy as we offer our work to Him.
Thank you for reading.