On Mission At WorkSample

God Created Work and Work is Eternal

Many have a wrong view of heaven. Popular opinions of heaven are primarily split between people who believe that we will be like chubby angels, sitting on clouds and playing harps, or that heaven will be like an eternal megachurch in a giant auditorium constantly singing worship songs. Most Christians probably don't know what to think about eternity, other than that it exists and will be great. When we look in the Bible, we see a physical place, a place with roads (Revelation 21:21), rivers (Revelation 22:1), animals (Isaiah 11:6-9, Revelation 19:14), beautiful homes (John 14:2-3), and food (Mark 14:25, Matthew 8:11, Revelation 19:9). What's more, the Bible indicates that we will work. Yes, that's right. There will be work in heaven.

The Bible says our work will specifically focus on serving God (Revelation 22:3). This should not surprise us because God is a worker. He works for us (Isaiah 64:4), He carries us in our weakness (Isaiah 46:4), and he enables us to work (1 Corinthians 15:10).

This idea that work will be eternal can seem difficult for some of us to grasp. We equate work with pain or labor, and this is true. Work is laborious in the world as we know it, but it has not always been that way. Hard and painful labor concerning work was not part of God's original design. Instead, it was part of the curse God gave us due to Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:16-19). Work was something God created for our good, for our provision, and our enjoyment. We see the creation of work during the world's creation in Genesis 1:28-31.

In other words, work is part of God's good design, and work is eternal. Work matters because it helps us see that our work is now part of God's eternal purposes. Your work can feel meaningless at times, but your work is part of God's plan. Your work should do two things. It should point to eternity when work will be redeemed and no longer be synonymous with painful labor, and it should point people to the One who redeems not just our work but all things; Jesus.

Reflection:

• Have you ever thought about work being eternal?
• In what ways can you change your daily work routine to increase your focus on the true reason for work – working for the Lord?