Work: it is a blessing from God for His creature, man! It is a gift that the first humans were allowed to take with them from the Garden of Eden when they had to leave that place of bliss as a result of their sin.

And if we now gratefully have a job, or perhaps have just found a job, then we learn that God also comes to our aid in the practical execution. He teaches us the right way. We need this help. Isaiah 28:23–29 describes the original manual work of man: the cultivation and preservation of the soil, starting with the preparatory plowing and ending with the processing of the harvested grain.

The principle is transferable to what we have to do today: in the office, in the kitchen, in the workshop, at school; God teaches us when we listen to Him. We all need to remember this: when everything goes well, we are inclined to forget about our Creator, who “gives you power to get wealth” (Dt. 8:18). Skilled craftsmanship, favorable conditions, the art of successfully running a household or a business: do we want to attribute this to ourselves or thank God for it?

And what if success is not in sight? Perhaps this is an indication that we can do nothing without the Lord in this matter either (Jn. 15:5); perhaps an encouragement to count on Him again more consciously, to entrust our daily work to Him in the morning and to expect concrete help from Him. Peter, with his refreshing practical approach, encourages us to cast all our cares on God, “for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). He cares for us, also regarding our daily occupations.