Noah and Work

One of the earliest references to work is found in Genesis:

5:28 When Lamech had lived one hundred and eighty-two years, he had a son. 5:29
He named him Noah, saying, "This one will bring us comfort from our labor and
from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has
cursed."

Notice that the ground was cursed and not work. God didn't curse work and that work is not a result of the fall. Man was not looking for a way out of work. He was looking to be freed from the painful toil of his hands because the ground was cursed. Because God gave man work, work has instrinsic and extrinsic value . The problem with work after the fall is the toil and labor. Work because of the fall, is toil. It can be monotous and painful. Because we are mortal we get bored and frustrated. We know life is short and we try to imbue life with meaning. We try to give a reason for pain and discomfort. Work alone is not the answer. As it says in Ecclesiastes, the enjoyment of work is a gift of God. However, work without the context of God gives life is meaningless chasing after wind.