How your work glorifies God

Jordan Raynor Sept. 30, 2022

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

iStock

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

First Corinthians 15 is one of the longest expositions on heaven in Scripture. Given the topic, you might expect Paul to conclude this chapter by saying something like, "Now, wait around faithfully until the Lord's return." But that's not what he says. Instead, Paul says, "Therefore… always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

In light of our eternal hope, we are to lean into our work today, knowing that it will somehow not be for naught. Somehow our work matters to God. How? We're going to explore five answers to that question.

Today, we start with the most fundamental: As Jesus's words in today's passage make clear, our work matters because it is a means of glorifying God.

John Piper says that to "glorify" God simply means to "reflect his greatness" or reveal his characteristics to others. Remember, the very firstcharacteristic God reveals about himself is that he is a God who works.

Then, when "the Word became flesh," Jesus reflected the character of his Heavenly Father by working as a carpenter. And finally, on the eve of his arrest, Jesus prayed, "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4).

Whether you're an entrepreneur, plumber, or mother, your work matters because it is a means of glorifying the character of God.

This article was first published onjordanraynor.com. Used with permission.

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

Jordan Raynor helps Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity. He does this through his bestselling books (The Creator in You, Redeeming Your Time, Master of One, and Called to Create), podcast (The Call to Mastery), and weekly devotional (The Word Before Work)—content that has served millions of Christ-followers in every country on earth. A sixth-generation Floridian, Jordan lives in Tampa with his wife and their three young daughters. Learn More »

• When preaching solutions, do these two things first (by Mark MacDonald)
• How smartphones have been used toward a torrent of cyberbullying (by Thom Rainer)
• How to bless before you blame in a conflict at work (by Jordan Raynor)
• When I stopped asking for money, something amazing happened (by Christopher Beth)

Free eBook

Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry

Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.

Download Now