There’s Work To Be Done

[God] brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.   Genesis 2:19

One of the contributions of science is naming things. Scientists observe, reflect on what they see, and then describe it. You may remember that it was God who named the day and the night (see Genesis 1:5), but now he invites Adam, the world’s first scientist, to participate in his work, giving him the responsibility of naming each creature.

Right from the beginning, Adam was occupied with the work of naming the animals and caring for the Garden: “The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it” (Genesis 2:15). This should not surprise us, because the Bible begins with God working. Work is a good gift from God, a reflection of his own character and activity.

It is important to note that Adam was never overwhelmed by his work while he was in the Garden. Work existed before sin entered the world, and work will continue after sin has been taken away. Adam never knew what it was like to be frustrated with his work until after he was outside the Garden.

Unfortunately, frustration with work did not end with Adam. It is something we all need to be saved from, and God’s saving purpose includes restoring us to the position from which Adam fell—that means being master over our work instead of being mastered by our work.

Notice that God brought the animals to Adam. God took a personal interest in Adam’s daily work. That’s worth thinking about as you work at your desk, on the shop floor, in school, or by the kitchen sink.

It may be hard for you to imagine that God would enjoy the documents you prepare, the tests you take, the components you assemble, or the home you create, but he does. When you know this, you’ll begin to find a new joy in your work.

For further reading, see Romans 6