It is Monday morning. The streets of Worcester fill with people heading to farms, schools, shops, construction sites and offices. Some go with energy, many go with heavy hearts, and most see their work simply as a means to earn a living. Yet what if our work was more than survival? What if every task we did, from teaching a child to serving a customer, from repairing a fence to leading a meeting, was an act of worship to God?
This is the concept of avodah. The Hebrew word appears in Scripture both for work and for worship. In Exodus 34:21, we read, “Six days you shall work (avodah), but on the seventh day you shall rest” (NLT). In Exodus 8:1, however, God commands Moses, “Let my people go, so that they may worship (avodah) me” (NLT). The same word is used for both. In God’s design, work and worship are one.
Beyond the Divide
In my research for Reforming Worcester, I interviewed 22 tsaddiqim (righteous men and women of God) in our city. About half of them had little understanding of the concept that work is equal to worship. Some believed it meant simply bringing Bible studies, devotions, or prayer times into the workplace. One even asked me directly, “Is work equal to worship?” But when I explained the concept in more detail, many began to grasp it and acknowledged the need for growth in this area (Guntelach 2023, 41-42).
God is not a dualistic God who separates the sacred from the secular. He is Lord over all of life. Paul makes this clear: “…whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17, NLT). And, “…whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31, NLT).
Still, modern Christianity often divides Sunday from Monday. On Sunday, we sing and pray. On Monday, we act as if God has little to do with our fields, classrooms, shops, construction sites, and offices. This false divide empties our work of meaning and robs God of glory. Keller (2012, 56) describes work as “the rearranging of the raw material of God’s creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, and people in particular, thrive and flourish.” When we recover avodah, our work becomes a place where God’s character is revealed.
What Avodah Looks Like
So what would it look like to live avodah in Worcester, or anywhere else? It looks like a teacher preparing lessons with care because children carry the image of God. It looks like a businessperson practising generosity and fairness, resisting corruption even when it would be profitable. It looks like a craftsman paying attention to detail, not because a boss is watching but because God delights in excellence. It looks like a farmworker singing with joy, knowing that in pruning the vines, he joins God’s creative work.
Excellence, generosity, integrity, dedication, and joy are not simply good habits. They are worship. When no one notices, God does. When no one applauds, heaven rejoices.
A Personal Challenge
So let us return to Monday morning. The streets are full again, with workers on their way. Will we walk into our work as though it were worship? Will we see the classroom, the field, the office, or the kitchen as holy ground?
Paul’s reminder is straightforward: “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Col. 3:23, NLT).
Here is the question to carry with you this week: If my work is worship, how will I do it differently tomorrow?
References
Guntelach, Bruno. 2023. Reforming Worcester, South Africa: A Strategy to
Establish a Culture of Communal Productivity. Executive Master’s Thesis,
University of the Nations.
Keller, Timothy. 2012. Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s
Work. New York: Dutton.
The Holy Bible. New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale
House Foundation. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Living-Translation-NLT-Bible/. Accessed 19 August 2025.