15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Human being’s original role on earth was to work and care for the Garden. That’s right, part of God’s original plan involved some work. Man was responsible for doing the gardening. There would have been some tilling and planting all done by hand. I never noticed this work before when I looked closely this time at this passage of Scripture. I had thought that Adam’s job was simply to walk around and eat the fruit and play Xbox. But there was some effort that God was requiring from him. He also had some responsibility. He had to take care of the garden. He had to watch it, to guard it, to make sure it continued to function the way it was designed. I don’t fully understand what Adam had to guard against, but never the less, that was part of his job. So next time you are tempted to do nothing because you are a child of God, think again. Part of God’s design from the beginning was some work, some responsibility, some effort. I think God knew part of being made in His image incorporated the tendency to improve the place a bit. We want to add our personal touches. We want to make it our own. We were not designed to be idle. We were designed with purpose and drive. But remember that one of the results of sin is that work became difficult and painful. That difficulty and pain were not part of the original design. I think when we find God’s place of ministry that He shapes and makes for us, then the difficulty and pain are not part of the work equation. When we are doing what God is calling us to do, then there is a greater sense of peace and fulfillment connected to that work. The striving and selfish ambition drop to the side, and joy and peace take their place. And people notice the difference. They can tell when you are truly doing what you love, what you were designed to do. Because of the results of sin, finding that place is very difficult for many of us. I want to encourage you to find your place. It is worth the discovery.
The Arnold Journey 