Americans celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September. This is a day set aside to honour workers who labor hard all year long. Labor Day was first celebrated as a federal holiday in 1894, but previously was celebrated by 30 states with the first in 1887 by Oregon. Canada also celebrates Labour Day on the first Monday in September and more than 80 nations celebrate International Worker’s Day on May 1. Labor Day weekend is considered the unofficial end of summer with summer having unofficially started on Memorial Day weekend. It was often said that a person was not to wear white after Labor Day and many still do not today. I personally think this is foolish. It is good to remember American workers and those around the world. People working are what keep this nation running and thriving.
Work is ordained by God and therefore people need to do some kind of work if they are able to and not expect a free handout. No matter what your disability is, most people can do some type of work. Work keeps us busy and away from trouble and sin. Idle time is often said to be of the devil and that is often true as the non-worker has too much time on their hands and gets bored and then seeks trouble and sin. Many often think of work as a burden, punishment, or curse from God, but in reality it is a blessing especially when doing work for God. Many liberals today are trying to attack God’s command for man to work by telling them not to work and just let the government or the rich take care of them. This is socialism and is from Satan, not God. God said that if a person does not work they do not eat. (II Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.) God himself worked so why does man think they do not have to work. (Genesis 2:2-3 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.) Christians need to remember when they are at work and may have a job they do not like, that we work for God and not our earthly boss. We need to always give our best even when our coworkers may not be. Let the boss see Jesus in your work and always have a strong work ethic. (Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.) We can see work as drudgery or we can see it for what it was intended as a “gift of God”. (Ecclesiastes 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.) (Ecclesiastes 5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.)
From the very beginning God put man to work and expects for each of us to continue to work. After God created Adam the first person, he placed him in the garden of Eden to till, dress, and keep the garden. (Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.) (Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.) Prior to Adam’s sin, work was intended to be easy, but his sin put a curse on the ground and today work is often hard. (Genesis 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.) With sin came harder work, but God still said we had to work. Genesis 2 clearly shows how man was working prior to the sin of man, so this proves that work is not a curse from God due to sin. Even Genesis 3:17 after the curse says the ground is cursed for thy sake showing how even hard work is meant for us as good. It builds muscles and keeps us in shape and our minds in working order. Often when people retire, they just sit around and their bodies start to decay and they soon die. Even in retirement, people need to continue to work in a garden or something to keep them busy and occupied or they will soon die. If retired do something for the Lord. God never in scripture talks of retirement. We must work for God until the day we die. This applies to those in the ministry as well. If God has called you to be a pastor or missionary, you do not retire just because you are getting older and have done it for so many years. God called you to the ministry until the day you die. Some people have gotten saved after they turned to Jesus after a life of hard work so the curse truly was “for thy sake” for these people. God will still have work for people to do in the new earth as his servants will serve him. What this work entails scripture does not say, but it will be a pleasure to serve God. (Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:) People will also work during the millennium as many Christians will be rulers in various forms helping Jesus rule the kingdom. (Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.) Other Christians may be witnessing for Jesus and Christians still with their natural bodies will most likely be working on farms or other types of jobs as they do today. Man was intended to work six days and then rest and worship Jesus on the seventh. This again shows that God wants people working. (Exodus 20:9 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.) (Exodus 23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.)
God expects Christians to work for him. God calls some to work for him in the ministry full time and others God has working a secular job. Those that God has working a job still need to work for God besides their earthly job. All Christians need to be witnessing for Jesus whether by talking to people, handing out tracts, making movies for Jesus, radio, television, or internet ministries or whatever means God tells you to do. This includes the disabled who may not be able to work a secular job. God can use you in some way to reach someone whether you call people on the phone and witness to them or some other job God may have for you. All can pray. Doing work for God should be a pleasure and not a burden as a person’s secular job may be. God said the harvest is ripe as the time nears before his return. God expects us to take advantage of this harvest and win as many souls for him as we can while we have time. (Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.) (John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.) Too many Christians disobey God and do no work for him. Let no one listening today be one of those Christians. God said he would not forget the work that we do for him. (Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.) As Hebrews 6:10 says, our work we do for God should be a labour of love, not begrudging work. We should work for God because we love him. (Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.) (Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.) What we do for the Lord today will determine what we do for him during the millennial reign of Jesus and during eternity. The more we do for Jesus today, the more responsibility we will get later. God expects Christians to walk worthy of the Lord in the way we live, work, and do for him. (Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;) A Christian can increase in the knowledge of God by studying the word of God [scripture]. Christians do not spend all of your time working here on earth for something that will burn up, but rather for Jesus and things that will last for eternity. Make sure you have time for Jesus and work for him. For the unsaved person this also applies, but you need to get saved so you can do work that counts toward eternity. The meat that does not perish is the meat that Jesus will give to those who are saved and serve him willingly and with a loving heart. (John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.)
Let us work for the Lord while there is still time, for the time will come when we can no longer do work for God. We must witness while it is still day and we have the freedom. Sometimes God will close a door in a nation and make getting the gospel out very difficult and someday the rapture will come and we will not be able to witness anymore. The night will have come. Jesus warned us of this. (John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.)
Christians in the Holy Bible worked for God such as Moses who led God’s people out of Egypt, the prophets who preached for God, and the apostles who started the church. (I Thessalonians 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.) (II Thessalonians 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:) Jesus himself worked as a carpenter before starting his ministry and performed many miracles which were the work of his Father as well as much other work for God the Father. (Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.) (John 5:17 ¶ But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.) Jesus did his greatest work when he died on the cross so that all people might have everlasting life and finished the work of the Father. (John 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.)
For the person whose burden is heavy whether from sorrow, pain, grief, fear, worry, but most of all sin, turn to Jesus. (Matthew 11:28-30 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.) If you are unsaved, admit that you are a sinner and believe that Jesus can save you and then call upon Jesus to save you and give you everlasting life by entering your heart and living there. If you do so Jesus will carry your burden and your soul will have rest. Jesus said that a person was to do the work of God and that work was to believe in Jesus and the work he did on the cross for each and every one of us. Believing in the work of the cross will bring you salvation. (John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.) For the Christian who has a heavy burden, call upon Jesus and he will also carry yours. The closer a Christian walks with Jesus, the lighter their burden will become. This does not mean that a Christian will not still have sorrow, grief, pain, fear, and worry in their lives, but with Jesus in our lives it is much easier to bear them when they come. With Jesus a Christian will always get through it in some way even if that means God will take them home to him to ease their pain. Jesus said for a Christian to deny himself and take up his cross and follow him. (Matthew 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.) Jesus was saying to always put Jesus first in your life and to be willing to die for him. A person that is willing to do that will walk close to God and the closer you walk with God, the more Jesus will lighten the load of your burden. By trusting in Jesus we can eliminate worry as we know that Jesus will do what is best for us. Worry is a sin. By trusting in Jesus a person can enter into the rest of Jesus. (Hebrews 4:10-11 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.) Labor Day may be set apart for the worker to have rest, but a person can only have true rest when they have Jesus as their Saviour and for those who are saved when they fully trust in Jesus to lead their lives. This does not mean we will not have to physically work, but that the burden will be light and those trusting in Jesus will have rest in eternity as they enjoy worshipping and serving God rather than suffering everlasting torment in the lake of fire. May everyone seek the true rest of Jesus. Christians start serving the Lord if you are not and if you are unsaved, get saved today.
