“God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26).
Isn’t it interesting that when God made man, the first thing he declared about man was what he would do, in other words, his job. He did it in verse 26, then he did it again in verse 28, “God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” What you do, your job, is very important. How important?
What you do is part of what it means to be made in the image of God. Before marriage, before family, before anything else there was work and work is the primary way to imitate God. You cannot reflect the image of God in you without some kind of labor. Even the retired do this by the history of their labor. Consider, what was the first thing that scripture told us about God to help us understand who he is? It is this statement, “In the beginning, God created…” (Genesis 1:1). Did you get that? The first description about God in the Bible is a statement about what God does, his work. He is Creator.
Actually, the book of Job was likely written before Genesis. After Job complains to God about his treatment God answers him by doing what? By giving a description of himself as Creator (Job 38-41). If God’s identity can be described by what he does, then why not you, who are made in God’s image? What is an image? Something that represents another thing. Therefore, if God is Creator and you are his image, then you are what you do.
Memory Verse
“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
Application
What do you do? Whether you work from home or work outside, your work honors God as it is a reflection of his goodness to you. Thank God for the ability to work and reflect his goodness through your work. See ways to use your work to honor the Lord daily. Retired? Thank God for all he did through you in your work. Let your retirement bring you new opportunities to serve the Lord.