Most adults spend about half their waking lives at work. Your work is a huge part of God’s plan for your life. He designed a specific vocation just for you in which you should find personal fulfilment, meet the needs of your family, and help to perpetuate His purposes in the earth. The fourth commandment covers all seven days of the week, not just the Sabbath. ‘Six days you shall labour and do all your work…for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth’ (Exodus 20: 9,11 NIVUK).

Sometimes you hear sermons designed to make you feel guilty about not keeping the Sabbath, but have you ever heard a sermon designed to make you feel guilty about not honouring the six-day workweek? The point is that just as God made and loves the Sabbath, He also made and loves work. The Bible says, ‘The kingdom of God is in your midst’ (Luke 17:21 NIV). Whether you’re a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker, you’re required to demonstrate integrity in the workplace. It’s embarrassing when nonbelievers say, ‘I’ll never do business with a Christian again.’

The Bible says, ‘O Lord…how excellent is thy name in all the earth!’ (Psalm 8:1 KJV). You should strive to be ‘excellent’ in your work. Lateness, clock-watching, messing around, watercooler gossip, flirting, speaking evil about your boss – these things should have no place in your life. The Bible says, ‘It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.’ You should go to work praying, ‘Lord, today I want to do a good job and bring credit to Your name.’