The smile of God is the goal of your life

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. (Psalm 37:23)

How exactly does our work matter to God?

There are many answers to that question. Our work is part of how God sanctifies us, how he meets the needs of others, and one of the primary ways we win the respect of non-believers. But perhaps most foundationally, our work matters because it is part of how we show the world what God is like.

As we saw last week, God created us in his “image” (see Genesis 1:26). And what’s the point of an image? “The point of an image is to image,” John Piper says bluntly. “Images are erected to display the original. Point to the original. Glorify the original. God made humans in his image so that the world would be filled with reflectors of God. Images of God. Seven billion statues of God.”

Got it. So we were created to image or reflect God. But reflect what specifically about God? Well, up until Genesis 1:26, we know only one thing about the image of God—that he is a God who creates! So it naturally follows that one of the primary purposes of our lives will be to reflect his creative, working character to the world.

And when we do that—when we live and work in line with God’s character—we bring our Father joy. Psalm 37:23 says that “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”

Did you catch that? God doesn’t just delight in watching you go to church or study your Bible. “He delights in every detail” of your life! He smiles watching you serve clients, prepare meals, and coach your team in ways that reflect his character.

Rick Warren says, "The smile of God is the goal of your life." How can you make God smile today? By reflecting his image as you work.

Here’s how I put it for my kids and yours in The Creator in You: “Because when you work or you make something new, you are doing what God has made you to do. You are showing the world what your Father is like—a God who creates to bring people delight. And when you show others the Creator in you, you bring joy to the world—and to your Father too.”

This is an excerpt from my weekly devotional, The Word Before Work. You can read the rest here: https://jordanraynor.com/twbw/the-smile-of-god-is-the-goal-of-your-life/