work place
“Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life.” —Genesis 3:17
After the first sin, women began to suffer labor pains in bringing forth children (Gn 3:16). Men also began to suffer other pains of labor. To make a living, men had to sweat and suffer (Gn 3:19). Work became a curse.
Only in Jesus is the curse of work removed. In Jesus, we no longer are slaves forced to work for our human needs. Instead, we are slaves of Christ (Col 3:23-24). We don’t have to work for perishable food; we can work for food that lasts unto life eternal (Jn 6:27). Moreover, we don’t have to work for everything we get. We can receive grace, that is, a free, unworked-for gift of God.
This life of grace is prefigured by the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. In this miracle, four thousand people got something for nothing (Mk 8:9). They didn’t have to work for it. Humanity’s slavery to work was superseded by grace from Jesus.
Jesus worked as a carpenter for most of His life, and then became a curse for us by hanging on the tree of the cross (Gal 3:13; cf Acts 5:30). Jesus has freed us from the curse of work. Therefore, work for the living, eternal Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I not work on Sundays to show the world I am free from slavery to work.
Promise: “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd.” —Mk 8:2
Praise: For decades, Marvin has volunteered in a prison ministry, bringing a listening ear and the freedom of the Gospel to hundreds of incarcerated men (see Mt 25:36).
Reference: (To grow in your work for Jesus, read the Bible daily. For encouragement, listen to, download or order Ignorance of Scriptures Is Ignorance of Christ on AV 82-1 or V-82 or How to Pray the Bible on AV 82-3 or AV 82 on our website.)
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