The Work We Do
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.
He himself is before all things and all things are held together in him.
He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn from among the dead, so that he himself may become first in all things.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in the Son and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross – through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
Last week at Forefront Brooklyn we talked about work as part of our Rhythms series. You can listen to the message here. We celebrated the work we do in our ordinary lives as members of one community, one body present in and through Christ. Knowing and believing that he is present in all our rhythms, including our work, frees us to remember why and for whom we work.
Together we discussed the ways our work culture has changed. We gave fresh perspective to how we can honor our God-given impulses to create, empathize and make meaning in our world through our modern work culture. The work we do everyday, no matter how ordinary, how valued or under appreciated it may be by the world, all work, when done with love, matters to God.
So we gathered photos of our work: the projects, spaces and tools we use to make meaning in our world. Check out the photos of our community and the work we're already doing to design, teach, create, protect, empower and reconcile our world in and through the one who is always present with us in everything good and loving we do.
And here's a prayer to help you embrace God's presence in your work today:
"Everlasting God, I shop for pleasure, looking to consume happiness. I hustle for meaning, striving to make a difference. But the more I consume the less I enjoy, and the harder I work the more life slips out of my reach. Help me understand the simple truth that none of my work or worry, nor any of life's pleasures, does any good without your blessing. Amen." (HC 125)