God’s Ideal for Thee and Me
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God put the man in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden.
Many people have a love-hate relationship with their work. On the one hand, they couldn’t imagine not working, but on the other, they can’t wait for the weekend to arrive.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could live out our lives in a five-star resort amidst a tropical paradise? You’d get up in the morning, have a delightful, tropical breakfast, wander down to the beach perhaps, lie in the shade, swim in crystal clear waters … with waiters to serve you Pina Coladas and bring lunch. Then, later, you’d wander up for dinner. That’d be the life wouldn’t it?!
I guess that’s what the Garden of Eden was like – perfect paradise; not a worry in the world; an endless rest and relaxation. Man! That would be the life!
And that’s why I was so shocked when I first read this:
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God put the man in the Garden of Eden to work the soil and take care of the garden.
Hold on! Adam had a job? Sure he did! His job was to work the soil and take care of the garden. It turns out that God’s ideal plan for humanity, even before the fall, even before Adam and Eve disobeyed Him, was not only for us to have peace all around, not only for us to live in a perfect relationship with Him. But God’s ideal plan for us, for you and me, also included work.
Think about it, without work, life would be boring. Whether it’s paid work or unpaid work, using the gifts and the abilities that God’s given you is part of His perfect plan for your life. And using your gifts and abilities for God’s glory, to bless other people, is, quite simply, one of the most satisfying parts of being alive on this earth.
Work … it’s a huge blessing!
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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