Reflections

  Joy in Doing the Father’s Work  Bible Reading:    John 4: 34-38  Key verse :“My food, said Jesus, is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” John 4:34 NIV  DEVOTION In John 4:34, Jesus tells his disciples, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish work.” For Him, real fulfillment did not come from earthly materials/objects but from faithfully carrying out his Father’s mission.    We often chase satisfaction in success, possessions, or even relationships in our lives. Yet all of those things leave and abandon us and leave us nothing. Jesus reminds us that if we entrust God with everything, we will never be hungry, sad, etc. When we follow his ways and obey Him we will be strengthened in ways we can’t imagine possible.    Like Jesus, we are called to make God’s will our “food.” This means that his will is our daily income of energy and direction. Each act of obedience is not a scary thing but an ...

  Honor Labor, Not Oppressive Wealth Bible Reading:   James 5:1-6 Key verse : “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter”. James 5:5 DEVOTION In this passage James is speaking to the rich who were oppressing their workers by not paying their wages and appeared to be succeeding and getting away. It is very clear from this passage that the Lord sees everything. The corroded gold and silver are testifying against them. The unpaid wages are testifying against them (c.f. Abel's blood testifying against Cain), and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. Our actions and the motives of the heart are bare before God and visible in the unseen realm and we are answerable to Him. And there surely will be consequences down the road because of this if we do not repent.  Let us consider our life today. Are we maintaining integrity in financial matters or have cheated others in any way,...

  Dignity of Labor Bible Reading:  Exodus 36:1-13 Key verse : “And every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.” — Exodus 36:1 (NIV) DEVOTION The work that God values is the work that glorifies His name. Throughout the Bible, it is evident that men and women, in their respective fields and areas of expertise, contributed to the expansion of God's Kingdom. Whether a stonemason, carpenter, fisherman, farmer, business owner, doctor, or priest – God values their work when it is done to glorify Him. Through excellence in their work, they also built strong, thriving communities.  In Exodus 36, we see Bezalel, Oholiab, and other skilled workers called to build the tabernacle. Their craftsmanship was sacred and their labor an act of worship. This reminds us that no job done in accordance with God’s will is insignificant. Whether it’s des...