Labour Day
Here in North America it’s Labour Day. Much of the world celebrated workers on May 1 but here between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans I guess we’re a bit slow to get to it. Regardless, we want today to honour and give thanks for the collective labour force of people within our families, our communities, and our nations.
The gift of work is seen first with God. God created the earth and its inhabitants in six days and then rested on the seventh day. What beauty there is to admire and enjoy because of God’s creative nature in our environment, in the night sky, in animal life, and in one another.
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.
Genesis 1:31, 2:2
Thank you God for the gift of work and the pattern for work and rest that You’ve made for us to flourish under. We pray to be creative and to use the gifts You’ve given us to their fullest. We pray also to rest from our labours in order to enjoy You and enjoy Your creation. Whether it is an evening’s look at the night sky or a walk in the woods to enjoy butterflies and chipmunks, or to listen to the sound of the birds. Give us grace to be aware of the rich gifts we have, God, because You worked and then invited us to the amazing world You created.
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper. Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty
Proverbs 13:4, 14:23
We thank you for the skills and talents You’ve given each one of which enable us to work to provide for ourselves, our families, and to take care of the earth. We do want to work hard, to give our work the best effort we can, trusting that even during the uncertain days of this pandemic You can make us prosper. We don’t want to live between the extremes of either working too much or working too little. We want to get the balance right and trust You for the rest.
Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Hebrews 13:5
We also recognize God that life is more than work and money and we pray to be satisfied with what we have. You don’t want us to run after money as the ultimate source of our security. You are with us. You are our provider.
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Colossians 3:23, Proverbs 16:3
We pray also to have a good attitude towards our work. We remember the old Saint, Brother Lawrence who prayed as well in the kitchen washing pots and pans as he did in church. We want to do that in the work that’s ours in this season of our life.
As we celebrate Labour Day, we offer our work – studies, paid employment, volunteer work, recovery work etc. – to You, Lord and ask Your blessings on all that we do, so that our labour may contribute to honouring You and building up our community.
As we’ve prayed together a number of times before we pray again today: May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
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