Bless the work of our hands

If our perspective of work life is blurry, then the Church has not helped clear up our vision. The Church has done a wonderful job teaching us all about spiritual gifts and fellowship and holiness – all precious tenets of the Christian faith – but rarely have we been taught about our ministry in the marketplace.

Instead we hear stories about those special few who were called into full-time ministry, blessedly drawn away from the worldly marketplace.

Many churches lay hands on newly-called missionaries as they prepare to leave for their missions in Ghana or the Philippines or

. They commission young men going to seminary and new pastors who take on new responsibilities. New deacons and elders are prayed over and sent out. But when is the last time you have witnessed such a ceremony for a layperson heading off to a new job?

Bradley J. Moore blogged today over High Calling blogs about this when he said, “God Likes Your Job. Really.” He exhorts pastoral leadership to “stop avoiding our working world and our careers. We’re starving for some spiritual attention to help us make sense of God’s purpose in the business lives we lead.”

The unspoken message in church is that our jobs are not holy or ordained by God. The hushed undertone at play is that the only way to completely serve God is to work as a minister or missionary. The rest of us are left with the feeling that the workplace is dirty and despised — a leftover scrap from the meal of sin and sorrow that Adam left in the refrigerator for us to nibble on.

Bradley quotes Michele Corbetts blog, where her pastor at Harbor Faith regularly prays for specific industries — blessing them in their endeavors. Can you imagine the impact if you were brought before the assembly the day before your new promotion was effective? If the pastor and elders and the congregation could “send you out” in your new responsibility with the authority of God Almighty, think of the impact that could have.

You would be called to make a difference. Comment here.