You’re A ‘Priest’ At Work – Part 1

‘Be fruitful…multiply…and govern.’ Genesis 1:28

If you want to know God’s original intention for each of us, look at Adam. ‘God created human beings in his own image…Then God blessed them and said, ‘‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it’’’ (vv. 27-28). We were created to be productive, to multiply and to govern. And every profession known to man is encapsulated in those three words. A priest is one who represents God on behalf of others, and others on behalf of God. But in reality, that was the original description of all of us. We were made in God’s image to continue His work of making the earth flourish, and by our flourishing, give voice to the whole earth to praise God. All work was designed by God to be priestly work. It’s not just professional clergy or missionaries who are called by God, nor are they more pleasing or important to Him. Bible scholar N.T. Wright paints a wonderful image of this concept. Picture human beings as mirrors set at a 45-degree angle between heaven and earth. We were created to reflect God’s care and dominion of the earth, and reflect the worship and gratitude of creation back to God. This is what we do when we work. You have a calling. You are gifted. You are a priest. This isn’t just something that relates to volunteering at church. Your work is a primary place—maybe the primary place where your calling gets lived out. When you start seeing yourself as ‘ordained by God’ to do the job you do, it’ll put a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and add dignity to your work. This is what Martin Luther described as the Priesthood of all Believers!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me see that all that I do is a calling by You to reflect You to all I work with. In Jesus’ Name, Amen