A Message From Pastor Thomas

“The Work of our Hands”

July 2023
“The Work of our Hands”

Psalm 90:17
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.

It seems ironic to me. We have so many technological conveniences: dishwashers, clothes washers, cars, phones with computers built in…These things save us so much time. And yet…we’ve never been busier. We have to schedule everything, including meals with our friends and even phone calls.

Why is that the case? Why are we so busy?

We work to provide for our family, to pay our bills, and to buy things we want. We work to fix things around the house and to keep the things we own working. So when we answer the question “why are we so busy?” we’d probably answer “to do what we want.”

We’d like to think we’re in control of our days, that we’re “doing what we want”, but when we stop and reflect, we realize that most days are spent obtaining or keeping up with our stuff. The things we possess can actually possess us. We are constantly maintaining our responsibilities. And when we get home we keep working…to fix supper, to cut the grass, to clean the house, to fix the vacuum cleaner…

As humans created in the Image of God, I believe we were made for something different. We long to break free of the never ending cycle of working to buy stuff and then working to fix the stuff we just bought. We long to live for something more…something that will truly make a difference beyond our lives…beyond our family. We long for a meaningful relationship with God and meaningful relationships with the people around us.

If you’ve ever longed for that, I have good news…God is trying to teach us how to live beyond ourselves, our desires and our families. God wants us to find His Will for our life each and every day.

But how do we do that? Look back at our focus verse. Read it slowly. What does that mean to you? What would it look like for God to do this in your life?

Being busy is something we can’t always avoid. But if we’re not careful we can let the things of this world determine where and how we work and miss the work that God wants us to do.

God wants to “establish the work of our hands” every day. He wants you to be a missionary right where you are. He wants us to approach each day as a priceless treasure and find Him in it. But that requires daily prayer and a determination to seek God in the moment you find yourself.

Whatever your occupation is, your work should come from God and it stems from the Great Commission. God has work for us today. He has work for us tomorrow. And if we’re willing to receive it, he will teach us how to work for Him: at your desk, in your classroom, in your home. And that’s when you’ll find the joy of living beyond yourself.

In Christ,

Pastor Thomas