Bachman-Turner Overdrive, "Roll On Down The Highway"

 Now that Christmas and New Year's Day are history, we need to get our minds back on mundane tasks. 

This song by Bachman-Turner Overdrive celebrates the trucking industry and identifies some of the problems truckers face. Click this link to hear the song.

For some, work is a four-letter word. That's because God cursed the ground as a punishment for Adam's sin. God said in Genesis 3:17 (Bible in Basic English), "And to Adam he said, 'Because you gave ear to the voice of your wife and took of the fruit of the tree which I said you were not to take, the earth is cursed on your account; in pain you will get your food from it all your life.'"

And though we have laws against child labour, kids can be a help and comfort to their parents. As Lamech said about his son in Genesis 5:29 (BBE), "And he gave him the name of Noah, saying, 'Truly, he will give us rest from our trouble and the hard work of our hands, because of the earth which was cursed by God.'"

Joseph felt the same way about his son in Genesis 41:51 (BBE). "And to the first he gave the name Manasseh, for he said, 'God has taken away from me all memory of my hard life and of my father's house.'"

During the time the Bible was written, people generally went into business for themselves. We read of one enterprising woman in Acts 16:14 and 15 (BBE). This tells how her business helped Paul and Luke find a place to stay. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a trader in purple cloth of the town of Thyatira, and a God-fearing woman, gave ear to us: whose heart the Lord made open to give attention to the things which Paul was saying. And when she and her family had had baptism, she made a request to us, saying, 'If it seems to you that I am true to the Lord, come into my house and be my guests.' And she made us come."

Even so, Christ reminded people in Matthew 6:7 and 8 (BBE) not to be fixated with saving up money. "And in your prayer do not make use of the same words again and again, as the Gentiles do: for they have the idea that God will give attention to them because of the number of their words. So be not like them; because your Father has knowledge of your needs even before you make your requests to him."

While it's prudent to save for future expenses, being worried about the future is showing distrust in the Father's care.

If Christ hasn't returned on Thursday, I hope to post about our freedom of Choice which the Lord has provided us.

Saturday Song: David Bowie, "The Man Who Sold The World"

Imagine what it would be like to meet Adam, the first man, on the stairs at a party. That's what David Bowie envisioned in this song from 1971. Of course we know that Adam died "a long long time ago," but imagining scenarios won't hurt us like wrong doctrines will.

Listen to this song here:

Adam truly did sell the world. He listened to his wife who also sinned and plunged humanity into a perpetual state of sinful rebellion against God. We find the sentence the Lord gave him, and all men, in Genesis 3:17 (BBE). "And to Adam he said, 'Because you gave ear to the voice of your wife and took of the fruit of the tree which I said you were not to take, the earth is cursed on your account; in pain you will get your food from it all your life.'"

This curse of death which our federal head brought on the world is for all humanity. Claiming to have obeyed the law of God won't protect anybody from the curse. As the Apostle Paul pointed out in Romans 5:12 (BBE), "For this reason, as through one man sin came into the world, and death because of sin, and so death came to all men, because all have done evil:"

But fortunately for those of us who surrendered our lives to Christ, we have one who paid for our sins against God on the cross. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:22 (BBE), there is hope for us. "For as in Adam death comes to all, so in Christ will all come back to life."

This is the resurrection which will happen when our Lord and Master returns. As we read in 1 Corinthians 15:51 and 52 (BBE), we all will receive our eternal bodies so we may live with him forever. "See, I am giving you the revelation of a secret: we will not all come to the sleep of death, but we will all be changed. In a second, in the shutting of an eye, at the sound of the last horn: for at that sound the dead will come again, free for ever from the power of death, and we will be changed.

What a joy it is to know that death won't have the last word. The second death, being consigned to the lake of fire, won't be our fate but it will be for those who refuse Christ's magnanimous offer of salvation.

On Monday, provided the Lord doesn't return first, I hope to post about why Christ's resurrection matters.

Saturday Song: Cat Stevens, "Matthew and Son"

To some folks, "work" is a four-letter word. It's something we do to keep from starving. There are those blessed individuals whose work is a joy but the majority of humanity does it to earn a living.

This song by Cat Stevens is about work and its relentless grind. Listen to the song here:

I remember how shocked I felt when the school janitor told me and some other boys how fortunate we were to have two whole months off from school in the summer. Nobody warned us that adults only get two measly weeks for the whole year.

There was a long-ago time when work was a delight. God gave Adam the task of looking after the garden of Eden. He could work when he wanted to and he could eat the fruit from every tree except one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He and Eve didn't have to worry about what to wear to work either.

Of course things changed once Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Genesis 3:17(BBE) tells us how Adam and his descendents were sentenced to hard labour. "And to Adam he said, 'Because you gave ear to the voice of your wife and took of the fruit of the tree which I said you were not to take, the earth is cursed on your account; in pain you will get your food from it all your life.'"

Even so, the Bible has much to say about hard work. Proverbs in particular lauds diligence. Proverbs 10:4 and 5 (BBE) is just one example of this. "He who is slow in his work becomes poor, but the hand of the ready worker gets in wealth. He who in summer gets together his store is a son who does wisely; but he who takes his rest when the grain is being cut is a son causing shame."

And if a person works well and skillfully, even government leaders notice it. Proverbs 22:29 (BBE)says, "Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons."

And as in the physical world, we must be diligent in spiritual things. Regarding the new heavens and the new earth, 2 Peter 3:14 (BBE) admonishes us, "For this reason, my loved ones, as you are looking for these things, take great care that when he comes you may be in peace before him, free from sin and every evil thing."

A day will come when we won't have to toil under the burning sun for sustenance. Revelation 22:5 (BBE) reminds us, "And there will be no more night; and they have no need of a light or of the shining of the sun; for the Lord God will give them light: and they will be ruling for ever and ever." What a hope that is!

On Monday, I hope to post about Why God wants mercy rather than sacrifice.

Saturday Song: The 49th Parallel, "Labourer"

I must admit that for most folks, work is a four-letter word. It takes a huge slice out of our day but without it we'd starve. Even so, is work really a curse or a blessing?

A Canadian band called The 49th Parallel sang about how the rich envy the simple life of a worker in their song "Labourer."

Listen to it here:

Before the fall, God gave Adam a job. Genesis 2:15 (BBE) tells us, "And the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to do work in it and take care of it."

In the next chapter, we read of the fall and how God cursed the land, making working it hard. Genesis 3:17 (BBE) tells us how it happened. "And to Adam he said, 'Because you gave ear to the voice of your wife and took of the fruit of the tree which I said you were not to take, the earth is cursed on your account; in pain you will get your food from it all your life."

Though this is so, the Bible has much to say about the good aspects of work. First, it should satisfy our basic needs. Psalms 28:2 )BBE) reads, "You will have the fruit of the work of your hands: happy will you be, and all will be well for you."

Secondly, there is nothing wrong in profit if it's earned legally. Proverbs 14:23 (BBE) reminds us, "In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor."

We also see that the Father has given us work which can emotionally satisfy us. Ecclesiastes 2:24 (BBE) says, "There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God."

When we have enough and to spare, we can help our siblings in Christ who lack basic sustenance. Hebrews 6:10 (BBE) declares, "For God is true, and will not put away from him the memory of your work and of your love for his name, in the help which you gave and still give to the saints."

Though we might not enjoy getting up early and toiling all day, work is a way to help out others and ourselves.

On Monday, I'll post about why God used metaphors.