I find it comforting that this book I’m reading (Mark Buchanan’s “Rest of God” if you’ve not been following my recent posts) starts his argument for Sabbath Rest with a chapter on Work.  Because that’s what’s really the issue here - a bloated work life, a lack of understanding of vocation, and - quite possibly - an addiction to my career.  Many other articles and teachings I’ve heard on the topic of sabbath focus on the details of how to properly rest and what to do when you are on a Sabbath.  They tell you to STOP doing anything and focus attention on God and life and prayer.  That’s all well and good - and needed; but I feel they fail to acknowledge just how difficult that is when there is ALWAYS more work to do.  It takes two weeks of intentional preparation to take two days mostly off.  I’m not sure I can tell you how many days of vacation it takes me to finally start resting and to stop thinking of work, because I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced that.

I’m not sure what drives me to work (I’ve always struggled with pinpointing my motivations for just about anything).  Most likely, I’m driven by a gruesome combination of pride, guilt, people-pleasing, perfectionism, insecurity, and something that equates to “identity confusion.”  Even as I type those things I can think of times TODAY that I’ve felt them.  Messed up.

So, with Buchanan’s help, I’m working on my understanding of work.

Here’s what I’m learning:

• Like most things, work isn’t sinful but it is marred by the fall.  God created work - we’re designed to work, but the fall has made it miserable.  Work is in need of redemption along with the rest of creation.  So, I’m looking for the bright spots and striving to appreciate work more.
• With this mindset, I’m reminded that I actually LOVE what I GET to do in my work.  This morning I was in the classroom and out of my mouth came some words that actually made sense and students were nodding and I remembered that God created me to work.
• But it goes even further than appreciating the gift of work.  It’s not just the right skills aligned with the right task, nor is it the right personality lined up with the right career.  Work - in it’s proper light - is a spiritual experience; it is giving homage to God.

According to Buchanan, “The opposite of a slave is not a free man, it is a worshipper.  The one who is most free is the one who turns the work of his hands into sacrament, into offering… It is all the Lords’ work.  Virtually any job, no matter how grueling or tedious - any job that is not criminal or sinful - can be a gift from God, through God, and to God.  The work of our hands, by the alchemy of our devotion, becomes the worship of our hearts.  And more.  Work done in such a spirit has the power to reveal Christ himself.” (”The Rest of God” p24-25)

Finally, I absolutely loved what he did in this chapter with Luke 5.  I won’t try to reexplain it all here, but essentially he explains how Jesus’ summons of Peter to make him a fisher of men was not a statement about how much better “full time Christian service” is than “normal” work like fishing.  Rather, the narrative is about calling.  Jesus calls Peter to change professions just after Peter experiences the greatest success of his fishing career - so many fish he has to call for backup.  Here my mind goes insane with thoughts.

Thoughts which I’ll leave in my mind until next time I post…

Lord, help me to appreciate work.  Further, remind me often of the opportunity to worship you through work…

Metanoia,
Aaron

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