photo #9378837

"THE LABOUR OF THINE HANDS" "For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee." (Psalm 128:2)The Bible has much to say about the dignity of work. First and foremost, it helps us to see our labor as more than “just a job.” Of course, we should always keep in mind the labor of many who do not receive a paycheck for what they do, but whose contribution is just as valuable. In the Lord's work force, it could be the changing of diapers in the Church nursery, giving someone a ride to God's house, shaking hands with first time visitors, tending to the needs of the sick, helping the poor, looking after widows, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. There are indeed many more, but do you believe those few things I listed are considered valued labor? Well, God certainly considers that type of work to be valuable and we should too.The first thing we notice in the Scriptures is that God is a laborer. Genesis 2:2 says, “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." And what a work it was! As Christians, we rest on Sunday, the first day of the week, and reflect with rejoicing on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then, with the days that follow, we go about our work for Him which He accomplishes through us. For we are labors together with God (1 Corinthians 3:9).Jesus' foster father, Joseph, was a laborer, and Christ was a laborer Himself (Mark 6:3). I believe that Jesus, as a carpenter, had callouses on his hands as a result of His work. I believe He had strong muscles from swinging a hammer, pushing a saw back and forth, and from using a plane. He may have even picked slivers out of His fingers long before He picked His disciples to whom He would make fishers of men. Yes, I believe Jesus was well acquainted with the various tools of His day. He certainly knew how to handle a whip that time when He drove the money changers out of the temple.The Bible shows us how work is woven into the created order of all things. Genesis 2:15 teaches us, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." Do you have a difficult and discouraging job? Well, welcome to the ranks, for many others do as well. Genesis 3:17-19 reveals that our work sometimes is not at all like tending a nice garden but working those difficult and stubborn fields full of thorns. If you feel sometimes as though you slog through your job just to put bread on the table, know this; there is dignity in accomplishing that work for your family.Then there's the greatest work of all works. And that's the eternal work of our laboring Saviour. One day some folks asked Jesus about working the works of God saying, “...What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:28-29)Friends, with today being Labor Day, let's take that much needed break from our rigorous earthly work and rest in the fact that Christ labored for us whereby we will receive one day the rewards of the eternal work in laboring for Him. For just as His labor for us was not in vain, neither will our labor for Him be in vain.