And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him…
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Col 3:17, 22–24)
In this section of his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul focuses his attention on the work of the people—both slaves and free people. Shocking to our modern ears, he doesn’t make an effort to speak of emancipation or liberation from slavery. Instead, he directs the listener’s attention to the ways he or she works and the real recipient of our efforts: the Lord Jesus.
Along with the church in Colossae, we, too, need to hear these words. We need to know that our work is not in vain and that there is one to whom it is directed. But it is confusing. What does it actually mean to “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus”? We know we’re called to do this, but what does it actually look like in our everyday, 9–5 working lives?
To begin, I want to explore what Paul’s words mean, what it actually looks like to work for the Lord. Paul takes care to identify the ways we can work for ourselves or work for our earthly masters, neglecting the Lord. To bring this home to us, I’ve prepared a simple prayer and reflection guide. My hope is that this practice would help you each to comprehend how your work may indeed be working for the Lord.