Just came back from my first company-sponsored course. Keeping in mind what was shared in last week's Sub D 242... hee, was praying to God to help me have a hungry heart to learn as much as I can.

'Cos was doing some contemplation on the Christian being successful in the workplace, and WHY we WANT to be successful...

In spite of the rationalisations many of us are in danger of justifying materialistic desires... i think God does want us to work as best as we can, in the wisest and hardest way possible, for two very good reasons:

1. Christ, when He came to redeem us, didn't just come to redeem our souls. He came to redeem EVERY area of our lives. The depth of Redemption says two things: the depth of our depravity, brokenness and pitifulness, and the depth of His intense undying love for us.

So He intends to fully redeem the way that I work, the way that I study, the way that I eat, the way I talk, the way I walk... whoa. Was so amazed that He would love me so much even to the point of sending me people to give me advice to gel my hair (that was many years ago), dress more nicely, etc etc...

But realised that if He cares enough to count the hairs on your head and mine (though He might not replace them), He cares enough to help you grow in every area of your life - be it appearance, strength, attitude...

But I think we also choose to respond to whether we want Him to work out His full redemption in our lives. We respond, because we recognise His care for us, and because we love Him in return. Yeah, I know, that sounds so... "mercenary" - that we love God, because He first loved us. Makes our love sound so ... mercenary.

But well, that is exactly what the Bible says - we love, because He FIRST loved us. It's humbling, because we understand that even our deepest love, our deepest devotion, our deepest tears of repentance, have to first be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.

And when you think about that... then, you realise the sheer depth of His mercy and grace. "For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."

Oh my! I've rambled all the way off-point... :P

2. Because we want to support God's people.

Acts 20:33-35
33I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

In short: Love God with everything in me (including my work), and love my neigbour as myself. 'Nuff said. :P