S1E1:The Mandate to Work and Keep the Garden Could Not be Attended with Toil and Labour; with Fatigue and Trouble...

We know that God is a worker because we see Him working for six?days (Genesis 1-2:3). Therefore, as children of God, we must work and?value work just as God does. The first words we see when we open the?Bible are, “In the beginning, God (Elohim) created by forming from?nothing…” The Bible starts with God working – creating.

This creative work continues for six days with God creating everything?that?man?would?need?in?the?Garden.?In?Genesis?2:8-9,?we?see?God?Himself doing the work to plant the Garden to ensure that Adam’s work?of cultivating and keeping the Garden would be enjoyable.

And the Lord God planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight,?land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created)?there. And [in that Garden] the Lord God caused to grow from the ground?every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable,?pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the Garden, and?the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference?between] good and evil. Genesis 2:8-9

We see God Himself planted a garden in the east of Eden. He also grew?all the trees that were desirable and pleasing to the sight and good for food. God made sure Adam found a garden (workplace) that was well?set up.

Then God created Adam on the sixth day in His own image and likeness?(Genesis 1:26). The same way God had worked and loved what He did,?so was the man supposed to work and enjoy what he did. And

God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good, and?He validated it completely.?Genesis 1:31a

THE AUTHOR OF WORK

God is the author of work because He is the one who gave Adam the?work to do in the Garden of Eden.

So the Lord God took the man [He had made] and settled him in the?Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. Genesis 2:15

Traditionally Bible scholars have understood this passage to show Adam’s?vocation in Eden to work in the Garden for his own benefit and God’s?glory. We will look further into this at a later stage.

TO WORK IT, AND TO KEEP IT

God created man with a God-given purpose and placed him in the Garden?of Eden with a job to do. God had created a world which included work?needing to be done, and He created man with a mission to do that work.?Logically, God didn’t need to necessarily structure the world in this way.?He could have created a fully self-sustaining world. He could have made?human beings to simply live in luxury and enjoy all of God’s creation?without ever having to contribute anything.

That, however, was not God’s design. Human beings were meant to?work, to help to accomplish God’s purpose. That is built into us. It’s sin?that changed the nature of our work and our response to it, but work?itself is not a curse.

This?mandate?to?work?and?keep?the?Garden?could?not?be?attended with toil and labour; with fatigue and trouble; with sorrow and?sweat as after man's Fall; but was instead, for his recreation and pleasure. At?this present reality for Adam, there needed no ploughing, nor sowing,?nor planting, nor watering, since God had made "every tree pleasant to?the sight, suitable for food, to grow out of it; and a river ran through it?to water it."

Work is part of our purpose as God’s creatures and is the only way we?find fulfilment in life. Man was not to live an idle life in the Garden.?This mandate to work and keep the Garden was before the Fall. If Adam?and Eve did not eat of the forbidden fruit, they would have continued?to work according to God’s plans. This means that work is sacred and?ordained of God right from the beginning and not a punishment from?the Fall of man.

Good news is, for those restored to fellowship with God through faith in?Christ, that sense of purposeful work begins to be restored, as well. Paul?writes in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ?Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk?in them.”

Are you toiling due to the curse of the fall or working from your new position in Christ Jesus? See you in the next session as we look at Toiling is a Curse From the Fall.

Like, comment, share and subscribe on LinkedIn, YouTube, Anchor Podcast, Facebook and my website - @muthoni mukhango. I appreciate your engagement in restoring the heart of worship in our daily work.

Excerpt from the book Too Busy for Worship by Muthoni Omukhango available at?www.muthoniomukhango.kenyaclc.org

Did you miss previous articles? Find all the Episodes in this Series - A journey of recovery from toiling (modern day workaholism) to working (as God intended):

S1E0: Have you Lost the Heart of Worship in Your Daily Work Like I Did?

S1E1: The Mandate to Work and Keep the Garden Could Not be Attended with Toil and Labour; with Fatigue and Trouble...

S1E2: Toiling is a Curse from the Fall - So Why Are We Still Toiling Even After Jesus Paid The Price On The Cross?

S1E3: There Has To Be a Way To Measure Busyness. How Can We Tell That We Are Trending Dangerously??

S1E4: The Workplace As An Idol - By Resting, God Helps Us to Break the Attachments We Form With Our Places of Work As A Source of Our Provision

S1E5: How to Work Without Toiling - Remain Connected To the Vine?

S1E6: How to Work Without Toiling - Allow Others

S1E7: What's the Sabbath Rest?

S1E8: Taking Up the Easy Yoke

S1E9: Labour/Work as Worship

S1E10: Why Should We Worship at Work?

S1E11: How to Effectively Worship at Work

S1E12: The Power of Walking and Not Running in Life

S1E13: Not Busy is Not the Same As Laziness

S1E14: Re-learn How to Rest in God According to His Will