Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Labor (04/19/04)
TITLE: The Redemption of Labor By Norbert Isles 04/25/04 |
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Can labor be redeemed, so that instead of experiencing it as something of a struggle it may now be experienced as a grace filled moment of delight much like to child’s play or
an enjoyment of good music?
For most people what is considered enjoyable is whatever fills up one’s desire or answers one’s need. However,since the fall of man, one’s personal needs are filled up only by painstaking labor. (Genesis 3:17-19). Moreover, the need that labor seeks to satisfy is not fully satisfied but merely renewed, even intensified. Thus labor becomes a curse, a punishment, a necessary evil one would rather dispense with as soon and as much as possible. Labor has become captive to the enemy of God and man is robbed (John 10:10) of the joy and blessing of work which prior to the fall was
his inheritance as caretaker of God’s creation.
It is for this reason that people usually work at things
with a sense of distaste, or forced necessity and in the process the quality of work suffer and the laborer is abused and burdened by experience of tension, anxiety,
weariness, disappointment. Even those who find themselves workaholic discover work’s bankruptcy in fulfilling their deeper needs.
This state of things – the struggle and suffering that
comes with labor - is true not only for the human person but for the whole of God’s creation as well. “For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth.” (Romans 8:22) The suffering that comes with labor is the suffering of the ego that seeks to gratify itself by fulfilling the desires of the flesh. When the sole motive of labor is to gratify the
insistent demand of the self, then labor becomes a curse.
To redeem labor of its curse we need to take on a whole new perspective. Our whole mind, heart, will, emotion, even our wildest imagination and physical being need to take on the mind of God with respect to labor’s place in our life. And this truth, this vision is this: “God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.” (Philippians 2:13) Yes, it is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). And this “Christ
is the visible likeness of the invisible God” and “through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself” (Colossians 1:15,26). The Christ who is in us is not just our personal Lord, He is the Sovereign God, Lord of the Universe and as he takes his dwelling place
in us he takes us up to be part of his great work. And his secret plan is to bring all things in heaven and earth
under Him (Ephesians 1:10)
Since he is the Lord of the universe, nothing escapes from his sovereignty. Every menial task that I labor with, no matter how insignificant or meaningless to the world or no matter how useless it is to myself takes on a grand and universal significance. And more than this – labor becomes a point of union, a point of contact with God as creator.
I can feel God working in me, working with me, working through me to accomplish his purpose which I believe is of universal and eternal significance. Labor is redeemed from
the need to be rewarded, praised, appreciated, considered important or useful. Its point of departure
is no longer the flesh or self seeking ego, but God himself and his purpose which I share in the depths of my being.
This truth has been tested, hammered and ingrained in
my being through my experience as a prisoner. A prisoner is virtually a slave, doing labor - normally
distasteful tasks - at the whim of the boss of the cell. Yet strange, even without any reward but rather even under criticism the tasks remain to be something I love to do with diligence simply because of my inner conviction that my hands are the hands of God and my work the work of God. No benefit or reward from anyone; but the knowledge that God is my source of everything keeps me joyful even in the midst of this most seemingly unfortunate situation.
Even when by the grace of God I was privileged to work outside of the cell doing reports and computer works day and night without any compensation I remain peaceful
and joyful and work at my tasks with a diligence and dedication of one who is earning thousands of dollars;
and it is simply because Christ lives and works in me and in Christ who strengthens me I can do all things (Philippians 4:13). Labor itself is my reward because through it I
experience this strange yet deep oneness with God in the heart of things.
This oneness with God in the midst of labor extends even beyond what my limited physical being can do. When circumstances are beyond me and things need to happen that are outside my personal or physical grasp,
Christ continue to work in and through me through whatmay be described as – being buoyed up by the spirit of God in silence and stillness. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:19). Letting God work and being united with his Spirit in trust and confidence makes things happen. One need only wait in trust, silence and stillness. Yes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
For a Christian redeemed by the blood of Christ, labor is redeemed of drudgery, meaninglessness and suffering to become a sanctuary where one can meet with God and as
it were dance with him. Yes, in Christ labor is a delight and a meaningful mission of making all things one in Christ.
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