God at Work

How can I know I'm doing what God wants me to do? The answer is less difficult than many suspect: if you're seeking to glorify God in all things, you're doing what He wants you to do. Too often we think the only way to serve God is through evangelism, missions, teaching, etc., but the truth is much simpler. God puts us where we are so we can bear witness of Him.

In the Lord's Prayer we ask God for our daily bread. Martin Luther said that God gives us our daily bread by means of the farmer, baker, and grocer, and this is the foundation for God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life, a look at the biblical doctrine of vocation, how it applies to our modern world, and how we can make the most of our God-given context.

Gene Veith makes many important distinctions. The most important is that between grace and works—our salvation is through no work on our part, but good works are the fruit of such faith. God doesn't need your good works, but your neighbor does, and you supply our neighbor with good works primarily through your vocation, whether you're a musician, plumber, or housewife.

Modern society has drained the word "vocation" of all theological meaning. We now think of vocation strictly in terms of secular employment, ignoring the fact that everyone has many professions: at work, at home, in the community, at church. Fatherhood is just as vocational as engineering, and playing the piano for Sunday worship is just as vocational as raising three kids.

This book is essential reading for every Christian, especially those who struggle with feelings of inadequacy because their work isn't explicitly spiritual. Veith illuminates the doctrine of vocation, showing us that it's nothing more or less than doing everything for God's glory, and encouraging us to rest in Christ's finished work even as we pursue the good works He created for us to do.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.