Caution: Men at Worship

Grungy clothes. Sweaty brows. Dusty feet. How did this manual labor constitute a church service?

Church looked a little different this weekend. Our ‘Sunday best’ involved work gloves, hats and rolled-up sleeves. Our congregation took to the hills for a little old fashioned work.

We ambled our way up the hill and put our shoulders into the effort. I watched my children and husband find their groove and settled into my own. My body engaged in its task and my mind began to muse. The lessons were plentiful… 

We were created for work.

God charged Adam with care for the Garden of Eden before the fall: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” — Genesis 2:15 ESV. Work wasn’t toilsome until after the fall (Genesis 3). In fulfilling part of God’s original design for His creation, we worship.

When we work ‘for’ God, it becomes holy.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” — Colossians 3:23 ESV. When we work as unto the Lord, that effort is sanctified  — set apart — for Him. Whatever we do. We can live (and work) a sacred life in a secular world, if only we do it for Him.

We return a portion of what He’s given us to Him.

Able bodies. Tools and clean water. Freedom to gather corporately. Another day to draw breath. All of these are His; all are given into our stewardship, to be used for His glory and to serve others (Matthew 25). There was joy in the sacrifice.

We joined together to glorify His name.

The Bible calls believers to corporate worship. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” — Hebrews 10:24, 25 ESV. The Greek word in this verse for ‘meet’ (episynagōgē) means ‘in one place.’ Together, we were inspired to love and good works in His Name. Side by side we labored.

Yes, this was church. At her best. I reveled in the wafts of conversation I could hear through the dust being kicked up all over the hill. Fellowship. My son deemed it all ‘fun.’ Exactly as I wish him to perceive his time with God’s people. My husband could scarcely bring himself to stop working. Nor should we ever cease to worship our Lord. I was sore the next day. A lingering physical reminder of my encounter with God.

Most beautiful of all: God’s redemption of that which is toilsome into the privilege of our faith — worship.