Ponderings on "Why Work?" - Number 5

A quick reminder of the 1st Proposition: work is the thing one lives to do....the thing in which one finds spiritual, mental, and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God.

The 3rd consequence of this proposition Sayers points out is - if we really believed this proposition and arranged our work and our standard of values accordingly, we should no longer think of work as something that we hastened to get through in order to enjoy our leisure; we should look on our leisure as the period of changed rhythm that refreshed us for the delightful purpose of getting on with our work..............We should all find ourselves fighting, as now only artists and the members of certain professions fight, for precious time in which to get on with the job - instead of fighting for precious hours saved from the job.


Hmmmmmmmm. (And I seem to be doing a lot of Hmmm lately) "...we should look on our leisure as the period of changed rhythm...."

As I think about my work, and how God brought me back to it, I must embrace it as His will. And, I'm finding more and more joy in it, more passion, more means of making a difference and a profit. Brother Lawrence, 17th century monastry lay member, wrote "Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God's presence. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of him?"

....just to do our common business wholly for the love of him.."

I meet people that have choosen careers and every once-in-a-while someone that is in their calling. There's a big difference, even with those in vocational ministry; between picking a career and a calling. There's a big difference, but "in ministry" is THE calling of all Christian believers.

I pray that I offer myself to God through my work and it helps me find spiritual, mental, and bodily satisfaction.......after all, I spend most of my waking hours working. I pray that I focus on my calling and keep margins in place to help me stay in that rythm of my walk with Him.

To that end.......Amen.