By Michele Corbett Director, Harbor Faith and Work Ministry Our Call to Work: A Great Adventure

What we are really saying: Work is a hard, thankless task Work is a means to an end… survival Work has no intrinsic value How do you view work?  The daily grind  Hump day  Workin’ for the weekend  I owe, I owe, so off to work I go  Back to the grind  TGIF

“I had a successful career on wall street by the age of 35, but the Lord led me to leave that six figure income to start a ministry for the homeless. I feel so good to finally be doing something meaningful.”

This is just plain depressing  8 hours a day at work (if you are lucky!)  1 hour getting ready for work  1 hour commuting to and from work  1 hour winding down from work

Does my work matter to God?

In the beginning…

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1: 26-28

 God created Heavens and earth  He created work (before the fall)  He created us in His image  He told us to go forth and rule over and maintain the earth – to WORK!

God created God was the original worker Exodus 31:17 …in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.

He created work  Work is not the curse  Work became harder and the ground was cursed  Christ and his death and resurrection transforms us as people (as workers)  Christ makes a difference in work itself – because we are different

He created us in His image  Create  Maintain  Restore

Rule over and maintain the earth Hebrew word: Avodah “work and worship” “service”

But what am I supposed to do with my life? Am I really called to my work? But I hate my job!

Two truths in tandem  You are right where you are supposed to be  You need to be intentional about your life

Why does it all matter in the end?

The gift of work Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – this is the gift of God. Ecc. 5:18-19