Many readers in the U.S. are returning to work today after a three-day weekend and the celebration of the Labor Day Holiday.

As we do return to the places and tasks of our professions, let’s seize the opportunity to do so with renewed perspective on the sanctity of work, informed by the Scriptures.

As we’ve written previously in this space, the Old Testament captures deep insights about God’s view of work, embedded in the Hebrew language itself. The Hebrew word avodah (sometimes written abodah) and the root verb avad (or abad) appear throughout the Old Testament and are translated into a handful of English words. Consider these examples:

• Genesis 2:15 (NIV) The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work (avad) it and take care of it.
• Exodus 8:1 (NIV) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship (avad) me.
• Joshua 24:14-15 (NIV) [14] “Now fear the LORD and serve (avad) him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped (avad) beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve (avad) the LORD. [15] But if serving (avad) the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (avad), whether the gods your forefathers served (avad) beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve (avad) the LORD.”

As Austin Burkhart describes in an article for the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics:

The Hebrew word avodah jointly means work, worship, and service. The various usages of this Hebrew word found first in Genesis 2:15 tell us that God’s original design and desire is that our work and our worship would be a seamless way of living.

Take Your Child To Work Day

This seamless way of living is not something we create or develop on our own; we are image bearers of our creator-God. As pastor and author Tim Keller wrote:

“But in Genesis we see God as a gardener, and in the New Testament we see him as a carpenter. No task is too small a vessel to hold the immense dignity of work given by God.”

Many of us may remember a “Take Your Child To Work Day” event from our childhood. Ideally, that day of working with your parent was not a burden or pressure, but a joy. We are children of a perfect heavenly Father, who celebrates “Take Your Child To Work Day” every day.

Let’s pray for each other to see today as a day to go to work with our Father, and for that perspective to overflow in joy and blessing for those around us as well.

Verse of the Week:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Thank you, Father, for letting us work with you and for you today.