May the virtue of our daily work
hallow our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
so our work be fresh and hard.

                                   - Celtic Daily Prayers.

Sometimes I get the feeling that evangelical churches spend so much time focused on the "gathered worship" of Sunday that they neglect to emphasize the "scattered worship" throughout the rest of the week. This old celtic prayer reminded me of the importance of our calling or vocation. Let me explain. Adam was given a job to do in the garden before they fell into sin (Gen. 2:15-25). He was given what theologians call the "cultural mandate." Create culture by filling and tilling. This was "work" and it was beautiful, enjoyable, and God-honoring. Essentially, his early work was that of a gardener and a zoologist. He tended the field and named animals, among other things. Hardly what we in the evangelical world would consider "spiritual work", but it seemed to be okay with the God that commissioned this endeavor, since he called it all good.

I meet a lot of brothers and sisters each week that feel like their particular work, whether it be swinging a hammer, or driving a truck, or writing software is somehow less than holy. I like to remind them that having a right view of the "priesthood of all believers" shows how all of life is sacred, that all legitimate callings are worthwhile and can be used to glorify their creator by "virtue of our daily work." The point of the prayer is that nightly rest should enable us to go hard after God in our daily work (whatever that happens to be), and that in doing so, our God is pleased for it is what he has called us to. 

What does this have to do with worship? Glad you asked. What if we encouraged such a holistic view of life on Sunday? What if we didn't separate "secular from sacred" in our language, prayers, songs, and preaching? What if we encouraged our carpenters to be the best at their craft? What if we encouraged our baristas to make the best latte' they could (it's an artform!)? What if we told our stay-at-home moms how important they were in developing the next generation? What if we told our drivers that if they didn't get their goods delivered on time we wouldn't be able to eat? What if we gave back the dignity that our God envisioned for Adam in the garden - to see all of life restored in worship seven days a week. Then on Sundays we could gather as God's people and rejoice in the virtue of the daily work he has given us, be refreshed and encouraged to to scatter and do it all again. What if....?