| This is rework into usable language for all Christians to realize their callings and vocation are for service to their Lord. Martin Luther in the Reformation returned the church of Christ to its proper understanding of work and vocation. Thus, to Luther even the common plowboy or in modern work a gas station attendant, is every bit as important as work as the missionary in Africa if done in faith in Christ. This great restoration of Biblical teaching by Luther was furthered by Gustaf Wingren's classic "On Vocation." Veith was given this book, from whose reading comes this work. Veith has the gift to put the complex in simple sentences and vocabulary. Wingren is difficult reading for most pastors, let alone the common layperson. Classic quotes come from this,e.g. "But work done in faith has a different significance than work that is done in unbelief. The doctrine of vocatin helps Christians see the ordinary labors of life to be charged with meaning." This will benefit those who read its treasures and apply it to their own vocations. |
| You may believe you are called to a job or to a non-profit ministry, but do you think of yourself as called to every other part of your life? Skilled Author Gene Edward Veith points out that an idea presented in the Protestant Reformation, that of the priesthood of all believers, teaches Christians to see all of life as God's call to glorify and enjoy Him. As a citizen, a parent, a spouse, a worker, and a church member, you are called to certain holy responsibilities and benefits. Veith writes, "Every kind of work [including fathering and mothering] . . . is an occasion for priesthood, for exercising a holy service to God and to one's neighbor." Therefore, our lives aren't on hold when the boring parts seem to hold up the enjoyable parts or when business seems to hold up ministry. It's all part of our multiple calling. We have God-given vocations meant to honor and enjoy God in everything we do whether it's in the back office, in the discipling process, or on the ball field. More than this, the author draws from Martin Luther's writing on vocation to describe God's hidden role in our work. The Lord works through our activity, even the most mundane, to further His kingdom and glorify Himself. Understanding this results in a comprehensive "theology of ordinary life." "Most people seek God in mystical experiences. . . To find Him in vocation brings Him, literally, down to earth, [and] makes us see how close He really is to us." God At Work is inspiring. It's a well-written handling of an important subject, increasingly important as the world urges us to segregate faith from all public life. Veith argues that God didn't establish secular work apart of the sacred. He designed everything as sacred. |
