Mark Roberts describes a conundrum some face when laid off work or retiring in Creation, Contentment, and Work.
Human beings are not simply to sit on a beach and enjoy the beauty of creation. Nor are they simply to sit in a cathedral and enjoy the beauty of God. Rather, they are to be actively involved in creation and cathedral, being fruitful, multiplying, and exercising dominion. This suggests that we will be truly content as creatures when we are doing that for which we have been created. Moreover, by implication, if we are not being fruitful in our lives, if we are not exercising dominion over creation, then we will be rightly discontent.
Why build stuff? Why belong to clubs? Why work the bands? Why maintain and improve one’s self and one’s things?
We are social and find meaning in what we do for ourselves and for others. If it’s not vocation, then it’s avocation. If it’s not avocation then it’s the honey-do’s. If all of that is taken away or is lost, then what?
I saw a show about lightning last night. A lady sitting on the beach by herself doing nothing in particular had her life changed. A bolt from the blue, as it were. Yes, a break is needed now and then and the Bible even tells us to reserve one day a week for the Lord, but the other six days in the week need something in service to give us meaning and reason for who and what we are.
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