Work and Prayer 8/19/09

We Lutherans have this fixation on work. We're against it!

Well, not exactly, but sometimes it seems that we are so attuned to avoiding any appearance of works righteousness that we would just rather not talk about it, thank you.

If we are justified by faith in Jesus; if our salvation is dependent not on our decision for Jesus, but on Jesus' decision for us; if God is sovereign – then what is left for us? Why work – why even pray if is all in God's hands?

An early reformer took this line of thinking to its logical conclusion declaring that “doing a good work is detrimental to one's faith.” Along those lines the post-Luther theological faculty of Wittenberg declared itself opposed to missionary work on the grounds that it questioned God's sovereignty.

I think this is called “logical absurdity,” good for a laugh, but how often are we reluctant to call for a response – to invite others and ourselves to claim the gifts of faith and salvation with joy that is reflected in our words, in our lives, in our prayers, and yes, gulp, even in our works.

St. Paul even managed to get “work” and “grace” in one sentence without them being in opposition to each other: “As we work together with him [Christ], we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1

Work does not preempt grace. Grace does not abolish work. They coexist in us as we live in response to the gift of Jesus.

Let me share with you a few thoughts on the subject by C. S. Lewis from God in the Dock. “The two methods by which we are allowed to produce events may be called work and prayer. Both are alike in this respect – that in both we try to produce a state of affairs which God has not (or at any rate not yet) seen fit to provide 'on His own.'” And from this point of view the old maxim laborare est orare (work is prayer) takes on a new meaning. What we do when we weed a field is not quite different from what we do when we pray for a good harvest.

“You cannot be sure of a good harvest whatever you do to a field. But you can be sure that if you pull up one weed that one weed will no longer be there....”

God in Christ has given us all – even, especially Himself. Believe it? Your salvation is assured. So what are you going to do with it? The weeds await.