As a progressive Christian, I believe there are many names for God and many ways to a loving God; this article reflects one of those ways. Take from here what works for you. Celebrate life with joy and peace!
According to the Small Business Administration, “Starting and managing a business takes motivation, desire and talent.” It also takes resources. Most new businesses fail in the first few years because they are underfunded. While this is true financially, is it possible this could also be true spiritually?
A church leader from an undisclosed denomination was meeting with a group of high-powered business professionals for a weekly Bible study. As they were updating each other on what was going on in their lives, one man who was wrestling with a big business decision asked the group, “Do you think that it’s all right to pray about my business?”
What was surprising was this man never made the connection between God and his business. Then this group leader said in the article where I read this illustration, “Having led groups for 30 years, I’ve learned that if I want to see a group of highly successful executives squirm, all I have to do is mention two words: “Let’s pray.”
Why are we so afraid to pray? Here’s the truth. Prayer is as easy as talking. How many of you learned a bedtime prayer something like this: “Now I lay me down to sleep …”
But somewhere between childhood and adulthood, prayer becomes awkward or difficult for so many people. Author Robert Brown put it well. He said, “Prayer is like a foreign land. When we go there, we go as tourists. Like most tourists, we feel uncomfortable and out of place. Like most tourists, we therefore move on before too long and go somewhere else.”
Many people don’t pray because it’s uncomfortable or unfamiliar, also because we feel things are under control and we don’t need any help. But sooner or later, there comes a defining moment, a time of crisis when we decide to call on God because we’re up against overwhelming odds. Or maybe the dream we’ve pursued turned into a nightmare.
So many people are navigating turbulent waters right now. We all go through painful and difficult situations and sometimes we feel helpless and hopeless. I’ve got good news for you. We can learn to rely on God’s power. And God has an unlimited source of power!
How about you? Do you pray about your work – about decisions, budgets, office conflict, legal issues, strategic plans or even doing your very best work? If you don’t, you’re in good company. Jesus’ own disciples had the same disconnect between faith and work. Listen to how Luke records their story in Luke 8:22-25.
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’”
What a story of God’s power! And the good news is that power is available to us! Anytime! All the time!
So, do you think Jesus was miffed that they woke him up from a peaceful nap and then snapped, “Where’s your faith?”
Sometimes it seems he was a little hard on the disciples; after all, they had left everything to follow him. So why did Jesus confront them like this?
One way to look at it is because at least four of them were professional fishermen. They were in their power zone! They were in the world they knew and understood; they were in the last place they ever dreamed of needing God.
Sure, they knew that Jesus could heal people, feed a multitude, preach a moving sermon and even change water to wine, but what did Jesus or faith have to do with boats and sailing, their work? Only when they had no other options left, did they call on him. “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
It was that day, in those turbulent waters, where those professional fishermen learned in no uncertain terms that Jesus was Jehovah of their workplace, as much as being Jehovah of their synagogue. In their boat was more compassionate power than all of their combined abilities, experience and expertise gained from there many years of working those waters. They also learned that Jesus was not only able, but also willing to bring this power and presence to not only their personal lives, but also to their workplace.
Jesus’ power applies to boats and wind and waves, true, and also to our real-life stuff we deal with on a daily basis, including our jobs. Our territory, where many times we feel like we know more than God!
When God says, “I will never leave you; I will never forsake you,” God wasn’t just talking about the time you spend in worship; rather, every moment of your life, in every area of your existence, including your work. What a powerful promise!
I challenge you to bring God to work with you. Here are some ideas: When you walk through the doors of your job, or enter the property, or even on the drive to work ask for God’s blessing and wisdom for you and for those you work with.
And sometimes it’s easy to fall asleep on the job spiritually during the day; maybe put a sticky note somewhere on your desk, by your computer or phone that simply says, “I’m here.”
“I’m here!” Love that! What a great reminder of God’s presence that is with us wherever we go!
