There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be done. Most of us have a lot on our to-do list and our wish-to-do list. Those things are not unimportant, even if they may sometimes seem to be. Whether it is a mundane chore or a major project that will revolutionize the world, those daily, weekly, and yearly tasks are a means of Christian fruitfulness that brings glory to our Lord. But the primary work we are made for is the activity we may be most likely to neglect when other duties are pressing upon us. We were made to worship, whatever else we have been gifted and called to do in this world.
Worship is primary. It is the basic human function. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is man’s all (Ecc. 12:13). Human beings are literally made to work and pray. As important as the rest of our ordinary labors are—and they are very important—everything flows from and returns to God’s altar. We pray that we may work, and we return from our work to give thanks for what has been done. Rightly understood, all the activities in our lives are an exercise of worship (Rom. 12:1). Our daily activities are not the same as the explicit and formal worship we offer in the hours of prayer: our private devotions, family worship, and the Church’s corporate assemblies. But God is praised, nonetheless. We are to approach all of our tasks with gratitude to God for his mercy and goodness to us and do whatever we do to the glory of his Name.
Nevertheless, when busyness overtakes us, we are most likely to neglect the worshipful aspect of our lives. There is no time for morning prayer and Scripture reading—we have too much to do! We cannot take time to meditate gratefully on God’s gift of our labor—we are too consumed by trying to get it done so that we can move on to something else! Work spills over into the Lord’s Day, we become cranky and resentful, and rather than glorifying God we dishonor him by neglecting that which is of first importance (Lk. 10:41-42) and by working with a selfish and ungrateful attitude.
The Lord’s Day begins the week on the right note, with the proper frame of mind. We work from grace, not for it. Unlike our Jewish fathers prior to the coming of Christ, our week begins with rest rather than culminating in it. The joy and peace of redemption accomplished and applied forms the foundation of our weekly labor. We labor not in messianic anticipation but with the joy of those who belong to the Regeneration. We know that Christ is on his throne, ruling us, defending us, interceding for us, and overcoming all of his and our enemies. We begin the week by worshiping around the throne of our glorious Lord, and as we are sent forth in the benediction and commission so that worship spills out into the world, driving away the darkness and filling creation with the knowledge of the glory of God.
