
Covid-19 profoundly changed my work rhythm. From a Tuesday to Sunday work week with Monday as a rest day, I have transitioned to a fluid, flexible work rhythm where I “go with the flow” as work evolves, and I adjust my schedule accordingly. Interestingly, Mondays are now my ‘official workday’ with regular meetings happening on Mondays. Working across different time zones also means waking or staying up at unusual hours, thus requiring even more space for atypical planning of the day (or night) before or ahead.
This got me thinking about how Jesus’ work rhythm was like. From the gospel, it was evident that Jesus worked hard. His days were full, and he faced many demands. Jesus also spent much time in prayer. Early in the morning, and even overnight. And it seemed to be part of His life rhythm together with a packed work schedule. Jesus was also hungry, tired and thirsty; he could have been so tired that he was even able to sleep right through a massive storm that swamped the boat!
I find John 5:17-20 bringing some insights to this.
17 … Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 19 … “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does…”
Here are three questions derived from these verses that can help frame our thoughts.
1. How do you perceive and approach the work the Father has assigned to you?
Jesus said that He worked as God His Father was always working. Work was an expression of God going about His redemptive purposes, and Jesus was following His Father’s example.
The Father has assigned us work as well. These include our day jobs and ministry responsibilities. Our perception of work impacts our approach. Seeing work as God’s divine assignment for us to bring about His redemptive grace into the lives of those we work with shapes how we might approach it. Our work presents us the opportunity for these connections. The quality of our work and our attitude at work are also redemptive demonstrations of our identity as God’s workers, not just as employees to our companies.
My colleagues working in East Asia recently commented that the more effective cross-cultural worker might be the one who is working in the office where he or she has the natural, daily interaction to cultivate relational connections with fellow colleagues and clients. I appreciate how their thoughts redeem our “non-Christian ministry” day jobs to become missional, integrating the gospel reality into our everyday living.
2. What do you see the Father doing, and are inclined to join Him in?
As an organisation, we sense the Father reminding us about the essence of our name “Pioneers”, and inviting us to reflect on the extent to which we are living up to that name. Simply put, are we still intentionally mobilising churches to unreached peoples and places as our key thrust?
This reflection has redemptively provoked us as a family to join the Father in what He is doing by reviving the focus on reaching the unreached peoples and places. Our reflections also revealed that this global work the Father is doing involves collaborating with other missions organisations and churches. We need to be willing and humble to serve together.
As mentioned, the global worker that can efficaciously minister cross-culturally is more likely the professional who works in the corporate office or institutions, bringing economic and tangible benefits to the countries they work in. Classical cross-cultural workers who are equipped for full-time Christian ministry work are still required on the field, but increasingly the opportunities for professionals and entrepreneurs to serve as “missionaries” with unreached peoples and places are becoming more apparent and provides greater legitimacy.
3. How are you personally encountering the Father’s love as you work with Him?
The love shared between God the Father and Jesus is undeniable. Jesus follows His Father, work as He does, because of His love for the Father. Likewise, the Father loves Jesus and shows Him what He does out of the intimate connection. It is not a transactional “work” relationship.
It is critical for us to experience God’s unconditional love for us as we work with Him. We are not working for Him to seek for His approval. We work with Him because we enjoy being with Him, following Him – just like a young child imitates his or her father because he or she feels close and safe to the father.
Being filled and aware of the Father’s love for us would enable us to work with God from a place of being secured in Him. Jesus was busy, but unhurried; tired at times, yet also God-conscious. Perhaps the prayer times Jesus spent with the Father were filled with more intimate moments between them than it was about the Father revealing His strategic workplan that He wanted to show Jesus to execute? If so, how would this shape your prayer moments with the Father as you work with Him? Would there be more prayer concerning work, or more worship?
In this respect, I found what a friend shared with me an apt reminder. This friend is serving on the field and heard this at a gathering. “If we only have 10 minutes to pray, spend 9 minutes adoring God, then we will know what to pray for the last minute – succinct and aligned with God’s heart.”
Perhaps the most appropriate response to determining work rhythm is by devoting ourselves to be with the Father often, being loved by Him and loving Him. It is from these moments that the Father will show us what He is working on, and as we are filled with His love for us and others, we can then join Him in what He is already doing in the nations.
How can we be praying with you? Please connect and share with us. Let’s make our time with the Father our primary work, so that the work of reaching the unreached peoples and places can be empowered by His unrelentless love overflowing from us.
Whitley
Pioneers inAsia
January 2025
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