Lillian Daniel: An Office Blessing

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..."

Reflection by Lillian Daniel

When was the last time you blessed your office?...

For people who work in hard jobs and under unpleasant conditions, the office does not feel like a place of blessing but something to endure. But what if you blessed your office anyway?

For people who enjoy their work and look forward to it, the office can be a place of productivity and service. But let's not take that for granted. Why not bless your office anyway?

It had never occurred to me to bless an office until a parishioner asked me to do it. She invited her staff but made sure they knew it was optional. After all, we live in a multi-faith world, which includes people of no faith. But nonetheless a group gathered, and I prayed with them about their work and asked God for a blessing upon the office.

Not every office could pull off something like that. But there is nothing to prevent any one of us from blessing the place where we work with a simple prayer like this one.

A Workplace Blessing

Loving God, I speak your grace, love and mercy into this place. Bless my job with meaning and purpose, productivity and usefulness, so that even my smallest task brings you honor. Thank you for the gifts you have given to me to do my job. I do not take them lightly, but commit to using them responsibly and well. Bless the others who work here with me. Make me grateful for their gifts and patient with their shortcomings. Like them, when I walk in the door, I bring my share of both. Lastly, I acknowledge your mysterious power over all that I will speak, think, do or decide here, when I open my heart to the power of your blessing. Amen.

Taken with permission from the UCC StillSpeaking Devotional.