On June 28, 1894, Congress made the first Monday in September a national holiday to honor and recognize the work of laborers who helped contribute to America’s growth and prosperity. Nowadays most of us look forward to Labor Day simply as a day when we don’t have to go to work.  

Have you ever felt that work was part of God’s punishment after the fall into sin? Certainly, sin affected work, like it did everything else, but work itself was not a consequence of sin. 

Work was initiated by God before sin entered the picture. After God’s “work” of Creation was completed, he commanded Adam and Eve: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth” (Genesis 1:28 MSG). Talk about a management role!

God intended for his people to be engaged in productive activity, with regular breaks to rest and celebrate his goodness. That’s still his desire, even though the infiltration of sin has caused “weeds and thorns” to hinder our endeavors.

Still, there is nothing more God-honoring or rewarding than to follow God’s directive to work. He is especially pleased when we recognize our work (whatever the job) as a blessing from him and do it diligently and faithfully.

“That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:13).