God likes His work (3 of 3)
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- Created: Wednesday, 01 November 2006 17:56
- Written by Tom Lipp
Many financial problems can be traced back to poor work habits.
How can we get more good things done in less time? Of all the books written about personal productivity I have not seen one that recommends God’s way of working found in the creation account. What a shame that we pay so little attention to the Book that will outlast heaven and earth. Take a few minutes to read the first chapter in the Bible with an eye on what, when and how God worked. Remember, it was written for our benefit, not God’s.
In the last two months, we learned the following lessons: 1. Ensure the Spirit of God is directing the entire process. Plan your work before you begin (verse 2b – details in September article). 2. Don’t work in the dark (verses 3&4 – details in October article). 3. Start the day the evening before (refer verse 5b – details in October article). There are many more lessons from the rest of the chapter but I’d like to focus on one.
What is it that God did six times in during the six days of creation? Can you find it in the text at the end of each day’s work? The point is that God stopped working, stood back, surveyed His accomplishment, evaluated it and rejoiced over it. Note the expression repeated five times, God saw that his work “was good”. On the sixth day God saw that it was “very good.” So what? The point is that God stopped working, stood back, surveyed His accomplishment, evaluated it and rejoiced over it. God didn’t rest on the 7th day only but took minor breaks throughout each of the six days. God celebrated the results of his work daily. Do we do that?
His work was not a hit and miss random process but a carefully monitored and intelligently executed progression. It’s all intelligent design, not random slap things together. God never gives any indication whatsoever that the intricacies on planet earth were mindlessly evolving from less complex to more complex. How ridiculous! My little children laugh when I ask them how many times we need to throw the Lego pieces into the air before they fall down to make a model car.
Just as the creation process was carefully monitored daily, so too, our production needs the same control if we want to see “very good” results. Quality inspection on a daily basis is integral to good work. To evaluate a job we must step back from it and examine it afresh.
That’s exactly what God did. God didn’t stop working until He was personally satisfied with the day’s work. He ended the day’s work at a peak of accomplishment.
What does that mean for us puny mortals? We are made in God’s image and therefore would be wise to learn from our Creator.
The fourth lesson on improved productivity is to celebrate good work. There is great satisfaction in seeing a job well done. Let’s not deprive ourselves of that satisfaction. The founder of John Deere farming equipment, when askeJust as the creation process was carefully monitored daily, so too, our production needs the same control if we want to see “very good” results.d for the secret of his success, once replied, “I don’t put my name on anything until I am personally satisfied with it.”
If we are to end the day at a high point, then it may mean doing a little less but with more quality. Let’s try to make sure we get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction before we quit the day’s work.
How does this work practically? It means taking time to celebrate the successful completion of a task or part of a task. It’s refreshing. Many of us do it sometimes but I for one did not know that God does daily. Before God stops he makes sure the job is well done. Then he delights in it. If we can’t do the job well, then perhaps we shouldn’t be doing it at all.
I don’t want to read into the text too much, but this pattern is too obvious to ignore. Work should be fun or at least satisfying. If not, we are working the wrong way.
The pollution caused by sin has no doubt messed up everything including our own thinking on this productivity topic. But our thinking can be renewed through the second Adam, Jesus Christ, who like his Father worked in a sinless pattern. Next month I’d like to write on the cover story of Time Magazine September 18, 2006. Get a copy if you can…if not… stay tuned as I hope both to critique the article and answer the question it poses Does God Want You to Be Rich?
