Attitude that Works (By Lynne McCarthy)

Thinking about slowly moving back into normalcy with its variations post-Covid. This includes all the work that's been suspended, or revised, or completely changed. Our attitude to the work is dependent on God's work in us, is it not? Whether schoolwork, teaching, civic work, leading, homemaking, bus driving, gardening, caregiving, preparing blogs, whatever, sharing our lives and hope that is within us ... Work as something joyful even if seemingly tedious or thankless, however tired we get at times!

To lift up the hands in prayer gives God glory, but a man with a dung fork in his hand, a woman with a slop pail, give him glory too. He is so great that all things give him glory if you mean they should. It is not only prayer that gives God glory but work. Smiting on an anvil, sawing a beam, whitewashing a wall, driving horses, sweeping, scouring, everything gives God some glory if being in his grace you do it as your duty.
                                                                               -Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jesuit poet (1844–1889)
        
Perhaps, regarding our work, reasons for and attitudes as we work:
2 Chron 34:12 This in the building of the Temple under King Josiah:    And the men did the work faithfully...

Ps. 90:17 And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!  (The Message)

Isa. 49:4 If we're tempted to despondency, seeing our work (and by extension, our selves in the work) as of little value:   But I said, " I've worked for nothing. / I've nothing to show for a life of hard work. / Nevertheless I'll let God have the last word / I'll let him pronounce his verdict."   (The Message)

John 5:17 My Father works, and I work...     (The best reason to work well!!  It's in tandem with Jesus and our Father!)

John 6:29 "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who he has sent.'   (May we never stop loving to do this work!)