When I was approaching the age where I could get my license, I couldn’t stop talking about driving school to my family. And one day my mom told me that if I wanted to go to driving school, I would need to get a job and pay for driving school. That’s exactly what I did! I started off my working journey as a cashier at Au Bon Pain. I then booked my spot in class at the local driving school five minutes away from home, and the rest was history. Being able to work and pay my own bill gave me a feeling of independence–a sense of freedom. And later on, after I moved out, when there wasn’t easily accessible finances to fall back on under my mom’s roof, and no more free room to live in because the real world after college became my adult reality, a job became not just a fun sense of freedom, it became a sense of critical security.
I think everyone has their own story of how money entered the picture in their lives and how they’ve developed a sense of what a job means to them personally. Many of us can find ourselves emotionally attached to a job in some way, especially when there’s a threat of the loss of consistent financial income, with no guarantee of how more can be earned. I know in my heart of hearts (because the Bible says so) that God wants each of us to have financial freedom—true job security. Let’s see what the Bible will teach us today about godly job security.
-QUIET TIME STARTS HERE-
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’” John 6:27-33
Q: What is the “work” that Jesus says that God wants me to do?
Q: When Moses was leading the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 16) as referenced in this passage, what is one way that God taught them to believe in him as their true provider?
Q: In what ways has God shown me that he is my true provider?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Q: If a job were considered an earthy treasure, what are examples of things that could destroy that treasure, i.e. what could the moths and vermin represent?
Q: In what ways might I be ‘storing up’ my job or career as my treasure? i.e what do I do to ensure that it stays securely stored.
Q: In what ways do I think God would like me to store up treasures in heaven for me?
It says that where my treasure is, is where my heart is. An indicator of where our heart is, is how we “spend.” How we spend our time, our money, our effort, our thoughts.
Q: Where is my heart right now?
Q: What steps can I take to shift my heart to where God is? i.e. How can I “spend” differently and “spend” better?
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32
Q: What truth can I hold onto if I should ever look to my job, career or money as my security?
ACTION ITEMS FOR TRUE JOB SECURITY
What is one thing I can do this week to put God/God’s “work” (John 6:29) above my own work?
PRAYER
Pray a bold prayer to have a heart that is willing to give up anything, including your job/career in exchange for God.
Disclaimer: The prayer is primarily to have a willing heart. God is more concerned with the condition of our hearts than the actual sacrifice (reference Genesis 22 – Abraham’s test).
Check out 3 examples of extraordinary faith in the Bible!