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In the beginning we find from the Bible that God is a worker for “In the beginning God created … “. The creation of all things is a lot of work and God continues His “maintenance work” to this very day. He created Adam and “put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). However, Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God and judgement came on them concerning the work they will have to do. God told Adam: “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:17-19).
In Ecclesiastes chapter 2 we find that King Solomon paints a rather grim, worrisome and fatalistic image about the work “under the sun” people have to do. Work was considered “toiled for under the sun”, “toil and anxious striving”, “toilsome labor under the sun” and “work is grief and pain“. All he can see is that he “must leave them (his works) to the one who comes after me and who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?” He is utterly frustrated by all this – “meaningless and a great misfortune” and “meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” The glimmer of joy and happiness in this image is that the person who works to please God will be given “wisdom, knowledge and happiness” (Ecclesiastes 2:26).
From the Bible we find many images of work and workers. Overshadowing them is the twofold image of God as Himself a worker and as the Master of the world who delegates work to people as His workers. For people, work is a paradox. It is good in principle (God given), as well as a necessity of life. In its most positive forms it is creative, enjoyable and purposeful. But it is also toilsome, often unproductive and a curse – “meaningless, a chasing after the wind“. In either case, though, it is the arena within which the worker serves God. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving“. (Colossians 3:23-24)
