We spend much of our waking moments at work. Since our careers consume so much of our time, we should desire to glorify Christ by how we work. The Apostle Paul instructed, "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). In other words, our lives cannot be divided between the secular and the sacred. Everything we do as Christ-followers is to be sacred. Our vocation is our ministry to the Lord. Our work is our worship.
My father touched on this truth when I surrendered my life to the call of God to be a preacher of the Gospel. I was concerned he would be disappointed that I was not following his footsteps into the family business. I was seventeen when he told me, "Ricky, if God is calling you to be a preacher, then be the best preacher you can be to the glory of God. If God is calling you to be a plumber, or electrician, or doctor, then be the best you can be for the glory of God."
The difficulty comes when you try to integrate your faith with your work.
- How do you live by Christ's values in the rat race of life?
- Is it possible to cope with the stress and pressures of the workplace in a way that blesses others?
- Is it possible to be good news to others in the workplace?
- How can you balance work and home life?
- Where can you find strength when you must stand alone for what is right?
- Is it possible to be the real you at work?
- How can you ensure that you finish well?
- What does spirituality and security in work and life look like?
The answers to all of these questions can be found in the Lord Jesus Christ, specifically in how He handled "the work" of the cross. The core of Jesus' work was that climatic six hours that He bled and died for sinners. He declared to His heavenly Father, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Because His work was so important to Him, we would do well to pause and let its importance impact us and how we work. We will discover how to glorify the Father in our workplace as we see how Jesus handled His cross during those six hours on the windswept hill of Golgotha.
Will you join me as we come near the Lord Jesus in those six hours? We will listen to Him and learn from Him. We will reflect on those seven sayings He uttered from the cross. Begining on February 6, 2013 (Wednesday) and February 10 (Sunday) our church will begin a 40 day journey called "WorkTalk Four Zero". We will complete our journey on Palm Sunday.
It will be...
- A 40 day look at Jesus to see how He worked.
- A 40 day feast of learning to help you work well.
- A 40 day journey of understanding to help you work smart.
- A 40 day building project to help you show results.
I will be sharing more about WorkTalk Four Zero in the days ahead. I am asking you to mark your calendar so you can be a part of this transformative time. I also want you to invite your co-workers, employees, neighbors and friends to join us on this journey. Let the One who changed the world change the way you work!
What are some of the challenges you face as you seek to reflect Christ in your place of work? What are ways Christ's example on the cross helps you as you face your workplace challenges?