Work a blessing, NOT a curse

Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
One of the great lies perpetrated by Satan is the charge that our work is a curse, a punishment handed down by God when Adam and Eve committed the first sin in Eden. Last night in a study by Robert Lewis (Men's Fraternity: Winning at Work & Home), we were reminded that we spend most of our adult life at work. We were also reminded of the truth in the Word regarding Eden, the fall, and our work:
Genesis 3:17-17: "To Adam He said, 'Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life'."
A careful reading of this passage points out that God cursed the ground, not work itself. Our work would be more difficult as a result of our sin, but in fact, God's plan always included the "work" element:
Genesis 2:15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
Lewis pointed out that God is a worker ("In the beginning, God created..."), and we are blessed with the "title" of co-workers.
The printing press, Reformation and the subsequent introduction of Bibles into the homes of believers ("Mine the riches of the Word in your own home") served to dramatically change the course of history, clearly defining work as God's blessing -- an opportunity to glorify God and spread the Good News. Today, however, many Americans including Christians have "bought into the lie" once again, trudging to work with the attitude that the job is a "necessary evil."
We have heard the expression: "Working for the man." When we read the Word and consider passages such as Colossians 3:23, it becomes obvious that it is the Lord's will that we see our work for the gift it is meant to be. God is "the man," no matter what our vocation. Our "employee's manual" is the Bible. Our "supervisor" is the Father Himself, true to His promise of relationship no matter where we go; yes, even into the marketplace.
I heard from a friend recently the observation that "the church" fails when those in the body fail to take their worship, praise and teaching "out of the church building" and into their daily lives. How true. I was reminded again last night that I/we ARE the church; that we are called to shine His light, to live this life as His bondservants at all times, no matter where we are.
What if all Christians "worked" with the same sense of gratitude we have for the gift of grace through the shed blood of Jesus? What if all of us brought our passion for Christ to the job, seeing it as simply another opportunity to invest our talents to His glory?
I pray that I might see my work anew through His eyes; that I will work each day with the goal of hearing my Master say, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21)