The Hebrew root ע־ב־ד (ayin–bet–dalet) is one of the most-used roots in the Tanakh. From it we get eved (servant), avad (to work / to serve), and Avodah (עֲבוֹדָה) — the noun form: work, worship, service.
Where it first appears
In Genesis 2:15, God places the human in the garden l'avdah u'l'shamrah — to work it and keep it. The very first job description in Scripture uses this word. Work is not a curse. It is a commission.
Where it becomes worship
By Exodus, the same word describes the tabernacle service. Cultivating a garden and lighting the lamps of the sanctuary share a vocabulary — because they share a posture.