God’s Work

As Christians, we are called to be coworkers with God. Practically speaking that means that the work we do is supposed to be part of the work God does. You cannot be a coworker and work on a different project. Then you are just colleagues. Coworkers have a shared vision.

Brethren, we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it. For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If any one destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are.

1^st Corinthians 3.9-17

In today’s lesson from Saint Paul, we are invited not only to join the work, but to build upon the work that has already been accomplished. Saint Paul is not talking about building buildings. He is talking about building the Kingdom of God.

The work that God began, and the work we are invited to join, is to build the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ laid the foundation with His Body and Blood. The Holy Apostles laid the first years of brick, and each generation since has continued to build the Kingdom.

How are the bricks made? We are the bricks. When we are baptized and chrismated into Christ, we become part of the foundation, the next layer of bricks so to say. This is why Saint Paul reminds us too that we are “God’s temple.”

If we are working to build the Kingdom of God and Christ is the foundation, our work will be judged by how strong the bricks are when ‘tested’ by faith and temptation. The next generations, the next bricks, that come after our work can only stand strong if our foundation is strong.

Whether we are parents, godparents, aunts, uncles, or ‘just’ friends, our foundation affects the strength of those who come after us. We are building upon the strength of the saints and holy men and women who came before us. We are thankful for their faith and commitment to maintain the Kingdom of God through generations of persecution.

Their work has been tested and proven, and we are the better for it. Now it is our turn. January is almost over. Give yourself one last resolution. This is the year you focus on being a coworker with God and the Church to build the Kingdom. This is the year you test the quality of your efforts. Will your work hold up to the test? Our children’s children are depending upon us.