Work is not the opposite of happiness, but it is often spoken about in this way. Paradise is often portrayed as the absence of work and responsibility while every sense is being satisfied. Yet the Bible reveals that Adam was given work to complete in paradise; ‘the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it’ (Gen. 2:15). It is hard to imagine what this work was like — the garden was complete, everything grew perfectly: there were no weeds to pull, no frustrations to experience, no breaking of sweat. Yet there was work to be done, and completing it was a vital aspect of man’s satisfaction in Eden. Remembering that man was created to work, it should not surprise us that there is no satisfaction to be found in idleness. Yes, there is sweet satisfaction in a time of rest after work, but not in rest without work.

However, the harmonious perfection of paradise was shattered as a result of sin. Now Adam, his wife, and his entire race would experience frustration and futility in their work.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.Genesis 3:17-19

In mercy the creation, broken and cursed as a result of sin, will still prove fruitful for fallen man. God did not withhold this provision made for man, but man’s experience in encountering and enjoying this would change. Frustration and futility, thorns and thistles, sweat and sorrow, and yet, graciously, an abiding correlation between work and satisfaction (a now lesser, temporary satisfaction — not the spiritual fulfilment of Paradise). This relationship between work and satisfaction is emphasised in the book of Proverbs, to give one example, (Proverbs 10:4) ‘He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich’.

While the relationship between work and satisfaction applies to all mankind there is a specific application in the life of the Christian. That is the intimate and inseparable tie between redemption and good works. No one can attain heaven through good works — yet no one can reach heaven without good works. Notice that in this passage that emphasises the fullness of the gracious sovereign work of God in redeeming sinners, man has work to do:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10

The Christian’s work is so intrinsic to salvation that the Epistle of James (James 2:14-26) flatly condemns any claim to saving faith that is not confirmed by good works which follow as a consequence.

I want to identify four aspects of work that one must consider: Balance, Vocation, Diligence, and Joy.

1. The Need for Balance⤒🔗

One effect of the fall has been to disrupt the balance that ought to characterise a healthy and productive life. No doubt, you are familiar with the 4th commandment and its continuing relevance: (Exodus 20:9, 10) ‘Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work’. There was a change following the resurrection; the day of rest moved from the end of the week to the beginning. No longer was it something simply to be looked forward to, but now we are to look back and remember what Christ has achieved. The sequence changed, not the need to rest. The day of rest is a teacher instructing us week after week, about the perfect and completed work of creation and redemption. It also teaches us that our work is not everything, and there is a need for balance. You might like to identify yourself by your present or previous employment (I am a tinker/tailor/soldier/sailor ... etc). But what you ‘do’ or ‘did’ is only one aspect to who you are — it is not all that you are. One day a week you are to put all that you ‘do’ down, and without distraction consider who God is, what He has done, and who you are before Him. There are four areas of life that must be balanced: Work, Worship, Rest (including sleep, relaxation, leisure and holidays), and Family Life. These are not listed in any sense of priority. You might want to argue that the Bible simply identifies two areas for balance — Work and Rest, but it is helpful to recognise the differences between aspects of work (employment, chores, family responsibilities, etc), and aspects of rest (worship, sleep, relaxation, etc).

To be off-balance in any of these four areas is to dishonour God. The danger is that some of us have been limping along for so long that we have begun to consider our wrong emphases to be ‘normal’. It would be foolish, and wrong, to prescribe a time allowance for each of these four areas. Each person has some responsibility in each area — though the proportion of time required will vary depending upon our stage of life. It is generally easy to criticise the mistakes that other people make, even though we are unlikely to be aware of all the demands and responsibilities that they have. There will be significant differences between someone who is not married, someone who has a family with young children, and someone who has retired from paid employment. And so many of our circumstances are liable to change. The primary question is: are you balanced?

Work or Employment←↰⤒🔗

Generally society commends over-work, and few people are ashamed when they are off-balance in this way. ‘He lives for his work’. ‘He lets nothing get in the way’. ‘He gives 110%’. ‘He is there 24/7’. ‘He is very ambitious’. Within the church we have a tendency to compliment this over-commitment, without ever considering that underlying it may be fear, greed, pride, and disobedience. Fear: It is far easier, and far safer, to be ‘busy’ than to do less comfortable or less attractive work. For example, not only can it be stressful and frustrating, but also few people will notice or commend a man who helps change and bath his children. Plugging away where you think you are strongest (and feel safest) may actually reveal far more insecurities than you realise. Maybe you find it easier to stay late at work than run the risk of being called upon to pray at the weekly prayer meeting.

Greed: ‘The more I work the more I’ll get, and the more I’ll enjoy myself when I stop working’. Really? When will you have enough? If you dishonour God in the process of obtaining your wealth — will you really have His blessing when you decide to ‘enjoy’ your ill-gotten gains? If it takes such time and effort to make your living that you are neglecting to rest, worship God, and interact with your family — then you can’t afford to earn that money; it costs too much, and it will bring no satisfaction. Pride: There is always a temptation to make a name for yourself. ‘I want people to see what I do, and to see that I am indispensable’. Of course you would never be so crass as to actually ‘say’ this, but it is often the unspoken truth. This is a risk in every sphere, but perhaps particularly in the Christian ministry when we put a ‘biblical spin’ on it — ‘Are we not meant to live our lives as living sacrifices — poured out and spent in the Master’s service?’

The Christian is to find their identity in Christ, not in what he or she may or may not do for Christ. Remember the rebuke which will be given to those who boast in their works for God: (Matthew 7:22, 23) ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity’. Over-work in the Christian ministry is sometimes justified by observing that so many souls are heading to a lost eternity, and if I don’t do something no one will. Yet the disciples were to address manpower issues in prayer not by over-work: (Luke 10:2) ‘Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest’.

The time you spend at ‘work’ is not an effective measure of productivity, and burn-out is not a mark of grace. It is humbling to accept limits, particularly when there is always someone else with far greater ability and capacity. The preacher is to practise as well as to preach on rest and balance. The preacher should be ashamed to overwork and ashamed not to be seen enjoying time off. The farmer, after sowing the seed must leave it and wait. He will have to water and fertilise the growing crop, but if he is always working on the field ultimately he will hinder the growth and the harvest. (James 5:7) ‘Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain’.

Worship (Particularly Public Worship)←↰⤒🔗

When it comes to finding the right balance with public worship you are probably familiar with this text:

(Hebrews 10:25) (don’t be) ‘forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching’. It is important to understand that this means — don’t avoid going to church. It does not mean hide at church, which is what you might be tempted to do, particularly because we live in a hostile world. Monks and nuns hide at ‘church’ — and as a consequence have a horribly distorted view of and impact on the world.

Public worship is vitally important for each believer, but it is not the sole forum for Christian life. It is not even the primary forum for Christian life. The Lord instructs His people to gather together one day every week. One aspect of the ministry of his Word is to strengthen His people for the other six days when they will not be gathered together. This is not to undermine the helpfulness of a regular midweek prayer meeting, and even other occasional midweek services, but to demonstrate that an unbalanced approach to public worship hinders the believer from serving the Lord as the Lord Himself requires. It deprives the ‘world’ that desperately needs the influence of the Lord’s people, (Matthew 5:13) ‘Ye are the salt of the earth’. Without salt decay accelerates.

Rest←↰⤒🔗

The Biblical instruction on the Sabbath not only prescribes a set day; it also sets out a principle of rest that is to characterise society on a macro level, and the individual at the micro level.

No one can operate effectively without sufficient sleep, and many emotional and spiritual problems can be traced back to the neglect of basic physical needs. When Elijah cried out in anguish after the conflict on Carmel with the priests of Baal, the Lord first prescribed healthy sleep and meals before addressing any overtly spiritual needs. In a real sense rest and food are spiritual needs, and are not to be neglected.

Our society is so focused on leisure that there is a danger that the Christian begins to think in terms of the ‘weekend’ being ‘my time’. This idea of a weekend is alien to the Scriptures. Six days are for work — not five for work, one for me, and one for worship. If you are employed for five days, then you are not to avoid work on the sixth. Rather the sixth day allows for work around the home and family. Recreation must fit around and complement work responsibilities and not be a substitute. Undoubtedly recreation has benefits (1 Timothy 4:8) and is not to be neglected, but it is not to dominate. The Christian is to aspire to be a man — games and toys belong to children.

There was a point when leisure overtook and replaced work in King David’s calendar. The result was devastating. (2 Samuel 11:2) (at the time of year when kings would be expected to go out to war, and when David’s army was battling with the Ammonites, but David was lounging about at home) ... ‘it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon’. The ugly consequences of this episode destroyed individuals and families, and brought shame and sorrow upon the entire nation. David was off-balance and everything spiraled out of control.

Rest only brings pleasure when it is balanced with work. David’s son Solomon, who was in a position to have anything that he desired, was able to perceive that in many ways he was not better off than the honest working man: (Ecclesiastes 5:12) ‘The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep’.

Family Life←↰⤒🔗

The family is the basic building block of both church and state, neither of which will prosper when the family disintegrates. Perhaps this is the area most likely to be out of balance, through either neglect or by over compensation.

A beautiful house, full of beautiful items and inhabited by a lonely husband, wife, and children perhaps overstates what is normal in our society, but tragically it is not too far away from the truth. Many children have everything they might ever want — except time with mum and dad. To be present is more important than to give a present. But to give a present is far easier than the grind of family life: living in constant close proximity displays and challenges more character defects than the average person is comfortable with. Despite this, the mother and father who are present — that means, engaged with each other and with their children, not simply living under the same roof — even with all their inadequacies and infirmities, are of greater help to their children than all the gadgets that money can buy.

The opposite extreme is the danger of over-compensating in family life so that it becomes too insular, and excludes rather than embraces those who should be brought into the circle. Seeking simply to satisfy the family does not model an evangelistic ethos, and makes the parents the slaves of the child. When God delivers man from the tyranny and bondage of sin He places him within a family (Psalm 68:6). There is a practical outworking to this identifying of redeemed sinners together as one people belonging to our Father in heaven. The believing family is to be ready to embrace the outcast and the stranger, as well as those who are well known within the church and the wider community, but who would otherwise be alone.

Concerning work, the truth is that each one of us lurches from side to side, either neglecting or overcompensating. As we reflect upon these four responsibilities: Work, Worship, Rest, and Family Life we must recognise that they cannot, in any God-glorifying sense, exist in isolation. We must be ready to continually re-evaluate and adjust our priorities in the light of Scripture and changes in our circumstances.

2. Vocation←⤒🔗

The passage in Ephesians 2:4-10, which has already been referred to, states that God has foreordained good works to be completed and fulfilled by each one of His people. Therefore every Christian is called, by the Lord, into Christian service. There is work for you to do, and you must do it — it is the will of God. There are many reasons why the Lord has appointed work for you to do, amongst others — to fulfil His purpose for man, you were created to work; to make you an influence for good in this fallen world; to humble and sanctify you in the difficulties and challenges you meet; to keep you from idleness which leads toward sin; and to give you opportunity to witness of His saving grace.

Wherever you have been placed can rightly be considered to be your ‘pulpit’. You may not have been called to proclaim the gospel of God’s free grace as a preacher, but you have a responsibility, and an opportunity not granted to any preacher. You alone are to serve in your particular sphere, and no one else. It may be that your ministry, serving the Lord, at your kitchen sink, or workbench, or office desk, might prove more fruitful than some pulpit ministries. This is not to undermine the preaching ministry — but to emphasise, to recover perhaps, that it is every one of the Lord’s people who are to be witnesses: (Matthew 5:13-16)

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Regardless of your job-description, wherever you are, you are in full-time Christian work. You may never get the perfect job that you aspire after, but you are where the King has placed you — and where you can be of the most use in His kingdom.

The political consensus in our nation today is seeking to drive a wedge between public life and private faith — it is acceptable to think and believe as you please, but you must toe the party line or else. Lillian Ladele is a Christian who lost her job as a registrar in Islington, London because she refused to register same-sex civil partnerships. When an appeal was heard at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, a lawyer representing the British Government argued successfully, ‘Christians in Britain should leave their faith at home or accept that they might have to get another job’.

Why is there such an effort to drive in this wedge? The reason is this — for as long as Christians act consistently in public, the church has undeniable power and influence. But if Christians can be intimidated into silence, then not only will the church appear to go away, it will go away. To claim the name Christian and not live according to the claims of Christ is to be no more than an irrelevant historic throwback. If you can’t be a Christian at work — if you can suspend the claims of Christ for the duration of your working week — then you can’t be a Christian, for Christ clearly does not have dominion over you.

It is vital for Christians in public and private to be wise, sensitive and winsome, and not unnecessarily provocative, but never, ever, are you to deny by words or actions the Saviour. The Christian faith is not a private faith; you can’t keep your head down and hide away, and think that the Lord will be pleased. Remember the example in Babylon — how intimidating it must have been to stand alone; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not arrange any protest campaign, but nor did they compromise or shy away when challenged. They plainly declared, we serve the living God (Daniel 3, also Daniel himself in chapter 6).

There must be no gap between who you are on Sunday and then on Monday, or any other day of the week. Religious piety which does not extend beyond the pew is nothing more than hypocrisy.

Retirement describes the process when someone ceases from paid employment and is a privilege of our Western world. Retirement has no place in the Christian life; we are to continue labouring until we are ushered into the eternal rest prepared by the Lord for His servants. If you have retired from paid employment you have greater freedom to focus more selectively on aspects of the work of the kingdom. You might think of yourself as having now earned the right to rest and take it easy, particularly if you feel yourself having less energy and strength, as you get older. But if the Lord had no work for you to do, surely he would take you home and out of this world. Your continued presence proves your continued responsibility. If you are really in doubt as to how you can help, ask your minister — there is so much that you can do to help.

A person’s significance is not to be measured by their salary. Some of the most significant workers have no salary. A mother is clearly called of the Lord — the evidence lies in her arms, yet society views her God-given role as unproductive.

The church, that is the people of God, must recognise her value and invest in her. So many young mothers, who would rejoice to have help and encouragement, instead smart under implied and expressed criticism. Particularly older women, you have what she needs. Paul instructs Titus to instruct the congregation so that the church in Crete would thrive: (Titus 2:3-5) ‘The aged women likewise ... (are to be) teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed’.

One would have thought that loving her husband and her children would be easy; second nature for a young mother. And in one sense it is, and yet, in another sense, particularly in practical terms, it is very, very difficult — all these demands, so much to do and so little time. Is it even possible to keep on giving, giving, giving? Why does Paul counsel the older women to nurture the younger women? In part because the older women have experience, they have learnt by making mistakes, and can help the young mother to avoid certain pitfalls. Another reason, perhaps, is to remind the older women that they weren’t ever quite the perfect wife or mother either — the danger being that as time passes the less realistic our memory of it (we all like to wear rose tinted glasses!).The more nostalgic and idealistic the memories, the more critical the older women might be of these struggling younger women. Certainly another reason for the older women to help in this way is to focus their energies in a way that satisfies and fulfils — old age does not render you redundant. When the older women avoid their responsibilities in this respect, it is a recipe for disaster: they themselves are frustrated, the young mothers are exasperated, the husbands are disappointed, the children are neglected — and the church looks just like the world. Of course every individual in the equation has their own responsibilities, and the vitality of the church does not stand or fall solely upon the faithfulness of the older women. But here is one Biblical way that we can reappraise our responsibilities and recognise our God-given vocation.

There is the same need for men. There are few, if any, young men who really understand what it is to lay down his life for his wife. Probably, in extreme crisis most would step forward at the hazard of life and limb to protect their family, but the challenge is to lay down one’s life when confronted with the predictable dull, daily, humdrum, not unlikely crisis. How many are prepared to lay down the remote control for the TV or the computer mouse, surrendering their comfort, in order to consider the needs of wife and family?

3. Diligence←⤒🔗

Life passes so very quickly, time is short, therefore we must work hard: ‘Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest’ (Eccl. 9:10). We have already recognised that the Christian cannot give 110% — but you must give 100%.

One report suggests that British companies lose up to £130 million a day through time wasted by employees surfing the internet and chatting on Facebook. Whether this figure is exaggerated, or understated, the point is legitimate — we are surrounded by distractions, which might amuse and entertain, but hinder productivity. The Lord observes every moment, and we are accountable for every part of every day.

You might not be best pleased with what it is that you have to do, but regardless, you are to do it, and to do it well. The quality of your work should stand out so that Christ is glorified. ‘Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things’ (Titus 2:9,10).

It might surprise you to know that John Newton became a captain of a slave ship only after he was converted. It became a matter of great shame to him in later years. However during the years that he plied the ‘Triangular Passage’ between Britain, the Slave Coast of Africa, and the West Indies he did become increasingly concerned with the way that both crew and cargo were treated. As his conscience softened he took a greater interest in both, with the result that during his final voyage there was no loss of life — neither sailor nor slave. This was remarkable given that it was not unusual to lose more than 25% of the slaves, and up to 20% of the crew, through death due to the brutality of the business. As Newton became more conscientious he became better at his job.

It is important to remember that if the gospel is not being adorned, then it is being undermined. Your attitude and demeanour are far more eloquent than any words you may be brave enough to speak. The greatest hindrance to proclaiming the gospel in today’s society is not the unbelieving world — it is careless, lazy, and inconsistent Christianity.

The general standard of our society is to do no more for someone than what we feel that individual might deserve, and then only if we want to. Peter exhorts us to remember that because it is God whom we serve, we are to work diligently, no matter if our boss is good, gentle or forward (1 Peter 2:18). Froward means someone who is aggressive or who takes unfair advantage. That doesn’t equate to your being a doormat, and passively submitting to all abuses, but it does mean submitting to authority and fulfilling whatever responsibilities we have.

It is a mistake to think that all you need is to find the ideal job. John the Baptist provided employment advice to people in ‘difficult’ occupations: ‘Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages’ (Luke 3:12-14) .

Basically John was telling them to be diligent and not to take advantage of anyone. Any problem associated with these positions wasn’t the fact of collecting taxes or being a soldier in Caesar’s army — it was the abuse of those positions. Likewise, Zacchaeus, it appears, did not resign as chief tax collector in Jericho — rather the great change in him would have had great implications for the city of Jericho. Ultimately Zacchaeus’ ongoing diligence and integrity would be a more telling proof of his conversion than any words of testimony, or isolated act of kindness (Luke 19).

Diligence in the workplace is not only a fruit of grace; it is an indication of God’s blessing upon his people. Nehemiah 4:6 records the success of the people in rebuilding the wall, and that they were able to do so because they had ‘a mind to work’. What a wonderful testimony to the grace of God to find the artisans — goldsmiths and perfume makers, labouring beside nobility and commoners, men and women, city dwellers and those who lived outside Jerusalem. Our society is characterised by a ‘can’t be bothered’ attitude. It is not unusual to hear of carelessness, negligence and poor workmanship. It used to be that our nation was recognised as benefiting from the Protestant work ethic. It is a national shame that for many the benefits safety-net has become too comfortable a hammock. It is not wrong to accept state benefits if these are needed, and we should not criticise such, nor be too proud to accept this help. But there should be such a desire to work, that we’d rather the dignity of earning a lower income, than milking a system that is too easy to abuse.

Have you ever questioned why some people are given greater financial resources than others? Perhaps now that your grown up family has become independent you find that you have much more disposable income than ever before. What are you to do with this talent? Henry Parsons Crowell, who made the brand ‘Quaker Oats’ a household name, and introduced the idea of boxed breakfast cereals, realised that while the Lord had not given him the necessary gifts to preach, he had given him the business acumen to make a huge amount of money. Crowell made much money, and carefully invested it by giving freely, so that those with the gifts of preaching were able to go and preach. There is so much work needing to be done today in Scotland that the church can’t yet afford to do (and beyond our borders in Northern Ireland, Spain, China, Zambia, Sri Lanka and many other places too). It is a wise steward who invests his talent in the work of the Kingdom.

It is not wrong to spend a little money and enjoy good things, and it’s not wrong, it’s wise, if possible, to have a little money put by for emergencies. But it is wrong to hold on to the resources which the Lord has placed in your hands for the good of His Kingdom. Even in your own congregation, it is probable that there are those who would be greatly helped and encouraged by your investing in them. This doesn’t mean simply handing out money (though it may include this), but becoming involved and helping one another. Specific needs always exist, but unless you take an interest in one another you will not know what they are. Paul speaks of the privilege of now being able to give, when once it was just take, take, take. ‘Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth’ (Eph. 4:28).

Live carefully, not extravagantly; make it your goal to help those who are in greater need than yourself.

4. Joy←⤒🔗

The story is told of two men working together being asked by a visitor what it was that they were doing. One man put down his heavy hammer and complained about the misery of slogging away each day to break up stone blocks. The other man put down his hammer and raised his arm to point to the beautiful cathedral that he was building to the glory of God. They were both doing the same thing, but their attitudes were very different.

If you love the Lord Jesus Christ then you should joyfully do your best for His glory. If your confidence is in the Word of God then you ought not to be dismayed, because He sovereignly has placed you where you are, and is forever present with you. There is a great temptation to adopt a grim-faced siege mentality, because the standards of the Word of God are increasingly rejected, and the church is increasingly oppressed. It’s not easy to be a Christian today. But it has never been easy to be a Christian.

It is true that if you remain faithful to the Lord Jesus you might become increasingly isolated in your community; there may be peer-pressure to compromise. You might be faced with a glass ceiling in the work place, and sometimes struggle even to get work. Integrity in your financial affairs may cost you money. But remember the response of the disciples: ‘And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ’ (Acts 5:41, 42). One reason the disciples were able to respond like this was that they were conscious of the promise of the Lord, ‘in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).

In the apostolic days there was an ugly, materialistic, immoral society that pressed in upon the church, and yet believers thrived, even in Caesar’s household. In ancient Egypt Joseph conducted himself in such a manner, that wherever he was he was trusted and promoted — whether at home, in Potiphar’s house, in jail, or as Prime Minister. Daniel too thrived in Nebuchadnezzar’s court without compromise or denying his Lord.

Joy must be expressed — it is a cop — out to claim that your joy is private and deep within. Because it is true that there are many times (perhaps even most of the time!) that you don’t feel like rejoicing, joy is something that you need to work at. One simple way is to sing. So many of the Psalms express the struggles that you have — is there any emotion that is not articulated for us there? Use these Psalms — you know so many by heart. Let the Word of God encourage you, inform you, and shape you. And when someone stops at your office door with their face tripping them, and asks what you have to sing about, tell them.

But what should you do today if you discover that you don’t have the right balance, if you are haunted by wasted years striving after the wrong things? What to do if your family is going, or gone, and you know you’ve shown them a poor example, having failed to be there at the right times? You need to do the same thing as the person only now setting out on the Christian life — call upon God for mercy. He is able to redeem, not only the souls of those that call upon him, but redeem even the wasted life. Isn’t this what is spoken about in Joel 2:25, ‘And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you’. We are always inclined to think it is too late, but remember that a full reward was also given to those who only began to work at the 11^th hour of the day (Matthew 20:1-16). It’s not too late to work well. Our Lord, who commands legions of angels, calls His people today to apply yourself with diligence and joy in whatever vocation you find yourself.