We seem to know very little about the existence and ministry of Angels. To most of us angels are more decoration than the reality. Here are 17 things to know about angels.

Am I Spiritually Mature? 5-Week Guided Growth Workbook

The Deep Impact of These Biblical Grandparents

Revival begins when individual believers take seriously their assigned roles as salt of the earth.

If work is so important, and every Christian is engaged in it, and we spend most of our waking hours doing it, then why is the Bible overwhelmingly focused on pastoral and church issues? There are detailed instructions for elders and deacons, for how to conduct the Lord’s Supper and how to care for the widow—and all of that is good and important. But if our work is such a big deal, why aren’t there more Scripture passages that directly address it? This (good) question seems to include a deeper question: How would God have me work out my faith in my day-to-day labor? As we turn to the Bible, one clear pattern I see is that there’s no playbook—do this, do that, and your work glorifies God. The absence of direct instruction is the instruction. Work isn’t the only domain that falls under this category. Whether you’re thinking about how to have a good marriage, how to parent, how to take care of your physical body, or how to make decisions, few places in Scripture give a specific word. But if you look at the whole of Scripture, you can see patterns and examples that answer these questions—including the question about work. With that lens, I want to highlight a few places where these patterns show up and explore how they’re more instructive than just instruction. Your Work Right Now You can’t get out of the first chapter of Genesis without seeing the glimmers of what God intends for our work: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (1:28, NIV). As we look through the Old Testament, a theme emerges that follows this creation mandate: People use the gifts that God has given them at the place and time he’s put them in. People use the gifts that God has given them at the place and time he’s put them in. Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Bezalel and Oholiab, and “every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill” (Ex. 36:1) use their work in a specific place and time. Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, is arguably the father of organizational design. Priests do all kinds of activities, from helping fight infectious disease to ensuring buildings are built to code. Of course, there is more to the priesthood than that, but not less. A pattern emerges: God gives people an opportunity to use their gifts for the furthering of his kingdom and service of his people. As they do the everyday tasks of tending sheep, running a prison, or sewing temple curtains, it doesn’t seem like much progress is being made. But from this distance, we can see they were (and we are) contributing to a much bigger work. Purpose of Work Further on in the Old Testament, we get more tactical patterns for how to think about work, its seasons, and its purpose. The Teacher (Kohelet) in Ecclesiastes gives an unflinching but ultimately redemptive look at the more painful quandaries of work and life—without God, it’s meaningless, a chasing after the wind. The seasons for everything in Ecclesiastes 3 paint a picture of rhythms of life and work essential for our effectiveness and thriving. The book of Proverbs also has many nuggets of wisdom, such as guidance on the benefits of being diligent (Prov. 21:15), smart with resources (Prov. 6:6-8), and purposeful in your work activities (Prov. 16:3). You could pluck a single thread out of Ecclesiastes and Proverbs for instruction about work, but their broader tapestry is about being a thoughtful steward of the many and varied experiences of work as a whole. Work for Christ Another pattern emerges in the New Testament. The early church is organizing, and the apostles are trying to give pastoral guidance to their fledgling churches. Inevitably, the topic of “How should we live?” comes up. Paul writes to the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Col. 3:23–24, NIV). Paul doesn’t say, “Whatever you do, except for nonchurch work . . .” The phrase “whatever you do” is sweeping. Your work is service to Christ, regardless of what it is. Elsewhere, Paul says to work hard, but don’t work for the sake of just working: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thess. 4:11–12, NIV). Here is the answer to the questions of the Old Testament: Why are we doing this work? What does it matter if we do it well? The work that God gave us, that is meaningless without him, is meant to give glory to Christ. Glory to Christ Our work glorifies Christ because he’s our example of what it means to live out an ultimate work—the work of salvation by means of his death and resurrection. The author of Hebrews sums it up this way: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:1–2, NIV). The phrase ‘whatever you do’ is sweeping. Your work is service to Christ, regardless of what it is. Jesus had work to do. Hard work. Ultimate work. Work we could never do ourselves. And he did it with perseverance, looking to the joy ahead and the reward of being at the right hand of God. Our work isn’t salvific. But as the “pioneer and perfecter,” Jesus set an example of fully and perfectly completed work. We can aspire to endurance and perseverance in whatever work we do if we have a Savior and paragon in Jesus’s saving work. New Work By God’s grace, he’s given us work to do. The absence of instruction—a playbook, a syllabus, a step-by-step guide—is our clue that the general sanctification the Bible calls for also applies to our work. Be self-controlled. Don’t lie or cheat. Give generously. Be gentle, peace-loving, joyful. As our souls look more like Jesus, our lives change. We become better spouses, better friends, better children, better parents—and better employers and employees. God loves you and cares about how you live your life. In your work, use your gifts, work your best, persevere, and give glory to God in all the vain days of your life (Eccl. 9:9).