A prayer for your work

Read

‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.’ (Genesis 2:15, NIV)

‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.’ (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)

‘We urge you, brothers and sisters… to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.’ (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12, NIV)

Think

God designed us to work; to be fruitful and to use our God-given gifts and skill to make a contribution to the flourishing of this world. Take some time to pray over the place you will be working today, be that a workplace, a place of study, or your home. And use these Scriptures and questions to prompt your thinking and prayer:

• Do you see work as a blessing or curse? How can you approach your work today whole-heartedly, as if you were serving Jesus himself?
• Before you work through your to-do list, ask God what is on His to-do list for your working day.
• What is good in your workplace? How can you celebrate that, and use your skills and talents to enhance it?
• What in your workplace does not reflect God’s values, how can you challenge it, or live and work in a different way?
• Who in your workplace is not a follower of Jesus, and how might God use you as a witness to them this week?

Speak

Heavenly Father,
My Master and Friend,
As I enter my place of work today,
I do not cross a threshold from sacred to secular,
Entering a space in which you are disinterested.
Rather, I walk into the place you have ordained me to be,
And I find you waiting there for me,
With good works prepared for me to do.

Help me to view
Every skill I have, as a gift from you,
Every task I am given, as a way of serving you,
Every challenge I face, as a chance to reflect you, and
Every colleague I meet, as a person in need of you.

Help me in my work today, to
Celebrate all that is pure,
Challenge that which is unhealthy,
Cultivate all that is honourable, and
Create the good that is lacking.

Amen.

Share

Today, why not share with a friend from church or your Connect Group any particular prayer needs you have. Ask them to pray for you about any areas of your work that you are finding difficult, and any ways in which you long for God to use you. If you need advice, consider whether there are followers of Jesus who work in the same industry as you, and reach out to them for help. 

If there are any other Christians in your workplace, why not talk to them about how you can be a blessing to the workplace together. You may want to set aside time to pray for your workplace, to pray for your colleagues, or even to consider running an Alpha course for those you work with.

For more on honouring God through your work, check out the resource from the Everything Conference, including the Everything Course.