Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 26 September 2017 "Created For Work" by Ian Robinson - Genesis 2:1-15

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 26 September 2017 "Created For Work" by Ian Robinson - Genesis 2:1-15
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.
(A: iv, S: ii) 4 Here is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created. On the day when Adonai, God, made earth and heaven, 5 there was as yet no wild bush on the earth, and no wild plant had as yet sprung up; for Adonai, God, had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no one to cultivate the ground. 6 Rather, a mist went up from the earth which watered the entire surface of the ground.
7 Then Adonai, God, formed a person [Genesis 2:7 Hebrew: adam] from the dust of the ground [Genesis 2:7 Hebrew: adamah] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living being. 8 Adonai, God, planted a garden toward the east, in ‘Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed. 9 Out of the ground Adonai, God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river went out of ‘Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four streams. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it winds throughout the land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. 13 The name of the second river is Gichon; it winds throughout the land of Kush. 14 The name of the third river is Tigris; it is the one that flows toward the east of Ashur. The fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 Adonai, God, took the person and put him in the garden of ‘Eden to cultivate and care for it.
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Recently I retired from pastoral ministry. As the day drew nearer, I became depressed. I was not ready to retire. I felt I was too young and had too much to offer. Fortunately, God intervened, and my church retained me on post-retirement service to continue God’s work.
The Bible only mentions retirement once, in reference to the Levite priests’ service in the temple. “But at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting” (Numbers 9:25, 26). This gave me new energy and purpose–to continue in retirement assisting younger leaders to serve God to the best of their ability.
Adam had no retirement plan. God put him in the Garden of Eden “to work it and take care of it” for all eternity. No sick time, vacation, or traditional holidays, and just one day off each week!
Christians have no retirement plan either. We may stop working our regular “9 to 5” jobs at retirement age, but the work of the kingdom goes on, all day, every day. We were created to work for God however and wherever He calls us as long as we are able.

Hymn for Today:
"A Charge To Keep I Have" by Charles Wesley
1. A charge to keep I have,
a God to glorify,
a never-dying soul to save,
and fit it for the sky. 
2. To serve the present age,
my calling to fulfill,
O may it all my pow'rs engage
to do my Master's will! 
3. Arm me with jealous care
as in Thy sight to live,
and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare
a strict account to give!
4. Help me to watch and pray,
and still on Thee rely,
O let me not my trust betray,
but press to realms on high.
Thought for Today:
Till your old age I will be the same —
I will carry you until your hair is white.
I have made you, and I will bear you;
yes, I will carry and save you.(Isaiah 46:4}
Please pray:
That many young people in Guatemala will be called into Christian ministry.
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