Devotionals for November 13, 2023
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READ
Genesis 2:5-8
5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,
6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—
7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed
5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,
6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—
7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed
REFLECT
A core biblical teaching is that God made everything good and sin corrupted it. This means that we experience the world as fallen, but not completely devoid of God’s original good handiwork. For instance, where lust perverts the purpose of sexuality and beauty, sexuality and beauty themselves are a part of God’s original good creation (*see Gen. 2:25*). The same goes for vocation. It is almost second nature to regard work as something negative. “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” we hear, spoken to us as if work was something originally intended to produce misery in humans.
The Bible teaches the opposite. Adam and Eve were created and placed in a beautiful, bountiful garden, not merely to gaze at it, but to tend to it. Indeed, this is indicated as one of the purposes for God’s creating Adam (v. 5). If work is a part of God’s original good creation then any moment spent in dutiful, joyful work is one spent enjoying a pre-fallen experience of work. When you work hard and succeed at your work or find enjoyment in it (not in spite of it) you are experiencing what work was meant to be!
The Bible teaches the opposite. Adam and Eve were created and placed in a beautiful, bountiful garden, not merely to gaze at it, but to tend to it. Indeed, this is indicated as one of the purposes for God’s creating Adam (v. 5). If work is a part of God’s original good creation then any moment spent in dutiful, joyful work is one spent enjoying a pre-fallen experience of work. When you work hard and succeed at your work or find enjoyment in it (not in spite of it) you are experiencing what work was meant to be!
APPLY
Q: What does this passage imply about God’s purpose in creating Adam?
Q: What are the areas you have been called to govern in your life?
Q: How can you inspire or encourage others to engage in a God-given vocation?
Q: What are the areas you have been called to govern in your life?
Q: How can you inspire or encourage others to engage in a God-given vocation?
SING
PRAY
"Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy."
Lord, help us to embrace the calling you have given us. Help us to work dutifully for you. Amen.
Lord, help us to embrace the calling you have given us. Help us to work dutifully for you. Amen.