Vocation or work deals with the “doingness” of life. Even those with the most cerebral of jobs, end up in some way doing physical labor of some sort, even if it means merely pushing computer keys.
 What do the following texts teach us about work – using “hands” as a symbol?
 Deut. 16:15
 Eccles. 9:10
 Prov. 21:25
 Jer. 1:16
 God has given us “the work of our hands” so that we can find fulfillment and joy (see Prov. 10:4, 12:14). In psychology, “self-efficacy” describes the belief that every person has the ability to accomplish something meaningful in life. Self-efficacy is not increased by repeating, “I think I can! I think I can!” Only actually doing something increases self-efficacy.
 While “the work of our hands” is God’s blessing to us (see Ps. 90:17) and allows us to live a meaningful life, God’s ultimate plan is that “the work of our hands” would bless others. Paul writes that we must work, doing something useful with our hands, so that we may have something to share with others. Paul surely lived by that principle:
 “You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ ” (Acts 20:34, 35, NIV).
 Nehemiah’s simple prayer should be ours: “Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands” (Neh. 6:9, NKJV).