Working for God
Jesus has won a place for you in God's line up of associates.
Ask ten people on the street to identify someone who works for God. Eight of them say: “a pastor.” One of them says: “a church secretary.” One of them says: “the lady who cleans the floors in my office building.” Who’s right?
Well, technically they’re all correct, but the person who answered “cleaning lady” is closest to the truth. Think about it.
The general assumption is that professional religious workers are closer to God than, say, professional truck drivers, wouldn’t you agree? The tasks of religious professionals, like those of the angels, are presumed to be assigned straight from the desk of the Almighty in heaven. While truck drivers are dispatched from corporate headquarters, pastors are dispatched from heaven. Which, supposedly, makes pastors holier than truck drivers.
Wrong. And not just because there is a semi truck rolling along the interstate with a bumper sticker that says, “My boss is a Jewish carpenter.” More than that, the Bible asserts that truck drivers, cleaning ladies, and computer programmers work just as much for God as pastors, church secretaries, and church organists.
God’s work is people believing in Jesus and living like Jesus. When a plumber goes about his work as an expression of his faith in and love for Jesus, he’s no different than the most right, most reverend, most theologically trained pastor whose work is also an expression of his faith in and love for Jesus. Neither of them has a closer connection to God than the other. Both are children of God, disciples of Jesus, and instruments of the Holy Spirit. By grace. Through faith.
Do you hear the tones of the Reformation in this truth? One of the causes of the reformers was the teaching of Christian vocation, or calling. All Christians, not just monks, not just priests, not just pastors, not just princes or nobles, but all Christians are called to work for God. The only difference between the person in the pew and the person in the pulpit is that the preacher has been asked by a group of Christians to proclaim the Word of God full time on their behalf. That job description doesn’t make the preacher any holier or any closer to God or more likely to have his prayers heard. No. What makes people holy and close to God and a prayer away is believing in Jesus.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance form the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23,24). That’s what the Bible says to slaves. They work for the Lord, not just their master, no matter how cruel or kind their master is. The same is true of the graphic designer, the soccer coach, and the night shift manager. “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).
So go to work for God today. Jesus has won a place for you in God’s line up of associates. Serve him with whatever you do. That’s rejoicing in the Reformation!
PRAYER: Thank you, God, for assigning your believers such a special job going to work for you in whatever we do. Let those with careers let their faith shine through in whatever tasks they face. Bless the labors of love offered to you by those who serve you and others with skills and resources you have given. On this Reformation day, encourage believers everywhere to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.