Yesterday was worship. Today, Monday for a retiree like me, its back to work, not that I have too. But I choose to. Work is ordained by God. There is always the house to clean, washing to be done, place to be tidied and Bible lessons to prepare. Its not drudgery when all done for the glory of God.
In Dorothy Sayers' play on the building of Canterbury Cathedral. The recording angel is making an entry beside the name of William of Sens, architect of the Cathedral, and says to the Archangel Raphael, 'Canst thou indeed find any grace in William the builder up of Canterbury. Raphael replies,
'Behold he prayeth, not with the lips alone,
But with the hand and with the cunning brain
Men worship the Eternal Architect.'
Work is sacred when God is in it. He is the Eternal Architect who created the universe. There is a real sense in which the Spirit of God inspires the good nurse, the doctor, the social worker, the engineer, the labourer working in construction sites under the hot sun, just as he inspires the preacher to prepare his sermon for Sunday. Or the retiree trying to prepare his next Bible lesson for the next class! Or even sweep and mop the floor or clean the toilet.
George Eliot said the same thing in his beautiful poem Stradivarius,
"I say, not God Himself can make man's best
Without best men to help Him.
'Tis God gives skill,
But not without men's hand. He cannot make
Antonio's Stradivari's violins,
Without Antonio.'
I'm reflecting on this day after Sunday. Work is Worship! I continue in my worship and enjoy it. Thank God at almost eighty, my mind still works, my fingers still type, my eyes still see. Thanks be to God. From His ever grateful servant - To God be the glory!
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