"He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psa 126:6, ESV) "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled." (Eccl 6:7) The shortest and simplest definition of labour is work! Labour means work especially physical work - work that has to do with the dissipation of physical energy. Labour has also been used to characterise and generalise all forms of organised work carried out by people and covering every area of human endeavour. As a result, we have the Labour Unions which are organisations that see to the welfare and mutual progress of all workers under the government. Nigeria, UK, Angola and over fifty other prominent countries in the world all have a political party called the Labour Party that built its political ideology on the greater state intervention, social justice and strengthening of workers' rights. This proves that labour is an important aspect of our lives. As matter of fact, people are proudly called after their labour - doctor, carpenter, teacher, pastor, mechanic, cobbler etc are all names derived and ascribed to people from their labour. It goes without saying that after God created Adam, He gave him labour (to tend the garden). But when man sinned and fell short of God's glory; man's labour was cursed. Or in another word, grace was withdrawn from man's labour!.
Labour coincidentally is now also used to refer to the physiological process leading to childbirth; possibly because of the pain and discomfort associated with it. Ever since the incident after the fall of man, the word "labour" has borne an inherent negative connotation. It has been associated with difficulty, sweat, exhaustion, suffering and the likes; and it has been used in many occasion to symbolize hardship. But here is the turnaround!
David says that he who goes out weeping, labouring, sweating, facing the harshness of earning a living, SHALL come home with shouts of joy. It didn't say he MAY come home; it says he SHALL come home with shouts of joy. SHALL is an auxiliary verb of command! It means that harvest or fruitfulness is not suggested, or promised, it is commanded. That is grace. The Grace to be productive has been commanded upon you. I see you bearing fruits today in Jesus name. You shall not only bear fruits in your labour, but you shall also enjoy the fruit of your labour. Grace will multiply your efforts and grant you a bountiful harvest and increase. Solomon says that in spite of all our labour, we are never filled or fulfilled. But when Grace steps in, you experience fulfillment in your labour. I speak Grace over your life today. As you step into your office or shop this day, grace will go with you. Stay blessed.