His Purpose at Work

 

“Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples... He said to them, ‘Cast your net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.’” –John 21:1, 6

The apostles are good at what they do. They’re able to provide for their families with the fish they catch. This night, though, they’ve caught nothing. Their usual way of doing things isn’t working. He tells them to cast their nets over the right side. We usually interpret ‘right’ here as being the opposite of left, but if we read it as ‘correct’ the message changes a bit. They do it His way and haul in a boatful of fish.

What about you? Maybe you used to feel productive, but lately you haven’t. Maybe you feel stagnant. Picture yourself telling Jesus how empty life feels sometimes. Imagine Him saying something like this to you:

“You’re doing good things; now, change how you do them. Try My way. Change your attitude from that of ho-hum obligation to one of anticipation and expectation of what I may do through you in your work. Let Me reveal Myself to you and those around you. Drop the attitudes of ‘Is this all there is?’ and ‘There’s nothing to look forward to.’ You have ME to look forward to. Look up and out instead of downcast and you’ll see Me. ‘Cast your net over the right side of your boat and you’ll find something’ -- you’ll find Me.”

Our Lord’s not asking for an attitude adjustment; He’s asking for a purpose adjustment. Look beyond the work itself and see it as part of His mission. You play an important role in His work of loving the world! He needs you to reveal Himself to the people around you. You may see it as only a job, but consider: Your friendly smile may reassure a stressed coworker or customer. The father of a feverish child might offer a silent prayer of thanks when he sees you’ve stocked the store shelf with the medicine his little son needs. The products you sell may be treasured gifts that strengthen friendships. Your compassionate ear may help a young woman feel valuable, which motivates her to take better care of herself. The music you share lifts the spirits of your listeners. The small children you care for will learn from you how to show love and respect to others.

Your way was good; now our Lord may be asking you to let Him show you a more fulfilling way – with Him as your purpose. Let Him use you to reveal His love for the world through your work.

“Lord, I want to work for and with You. Show me the way.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Look for Me

 

  “Then the disciples returned home. But Mary (of Magdala) stayed outside the tomb weeping.”

 --John 20:10-11 

Mary couldn’t leave; she stayed there alone, weeping with grief. Something, or Someone, was tugging at her heart. As she wept, she peered into the tomb, searching. She saw two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had been. Then the risen Lord greeted her, allowing her to be the first person to see Him after He rose from the dead (see John 20:11-18).

Our Lord wants us to search for Him, too. Sometimes, we look outside ourselves and find Him in the people and circumstances around us. Look for Him in the new employee humbly trying to learn the ropes. Look for His smile in puppies and kittens. Draw on His patience in slow traffic. Seek His wisdom to guide you in your work. Soak in His peace when the baby’s sleeping, and lean on His calming presence when she’s crying.

Other times, we stop and let Jesus come to us. How? Give Him ten minutes of your day. Find a quiet place – a room in your home, an empty church, your back yard, or even your parked car -- and silence your phone. Start by thanking Him for this time you’ll get to spend with Him. Then, pick a short passage in the Bible and read it slowly and attentively. (The Gospels are a good place to start.) You might want to read it more than once. Notice what strikes you as you read. Next, sit still and think about what you’ve just read; the ideas that come to mind may be Him trying to tell you something. You may want to jot down your ideas. Finally, thank Him again and ask Him to stay with you and guide you as you go about the rest of your day.

Imagine Him saying to you:

“Stay and look for Me, like Mary did. Don’t be in such a hurry to get back to your routine, like the apostles did. Stop for a few moments and you’ll be rewarded. Tell Me what’s on your mind. Then, be still and wait. Sometimes you’ll get answers, and sometimes you’ll get only quiet. The quiet is holy when you spend it with Me. I’m working in your heart even when you feel nothing or get no apparent answers. I want to spend time with you. I love seeing you wanting to spend time with Me. Go deeper. Let Me reach into your heart. I want you to experience My love for you. Look for Me, and you’ll find Me. Listen, and you’ll hear Me. Open your heart to Me and let Me fill it. Be at peace. I love you.”

“Lord, let me find You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Why Didn't Jesus Fight Back?

 

During this Holy Week, we recall how Christ was accused of blasphemy, mocked, beaten, and crucified, and then rose from the dead. We may wonder: Why didn’t He use His divine power to fight back against those who wanted to destroy Him? A modern-day movie may help us understand.

“Hacksaw Ridge” tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a Christian who enlists as an army medic during WWII. He wants to contribute to the war effort; at the same time, a traumatic experience when he was younger results in his refusal to handle a gun. His fellow soldiers mock him, beat him, and taunt him mercilessly, wanting him to fight back, but he takes their assaults without saying a word or raising his fists. The other men realize they’re powerless against him; they can’t make him give in or fight back, and so he wins those fights by not fighting. Later, at the horrific Battle of Okinawa, he tends to the wounded and still refuses to touch a weapon. He ends up risking his own life to save the lives of 75 men – the same soldiers who attacked him for being a ‘weakling.’ (Watch the movie to find out how!) If he had given in to save himself from their attacks, he wouldn’t have been in a position to save the others.

“He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins…

He was silent and opened not his mouth…

Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many, and their guilt he shall bear.”

--Isaiah 53:5, 7, 11 

Christ didn’t fight back because He knew He could accomplish something greater by letting them kill Him. He loves us so much that He offered Himself to be punished for our sins; our sins were nailed to the cross with Him. He didn’t fight death because He knew He would conquer death. He knew He would rise from the dead, and He had to die first in order to rise.

Jesus’ resurrection proved that God’s love is more powerful than evil, more powerful than sin, and more powerful than even death itself. Satan could coerce the crowd to turn against Jesus and crucify Him, but Satan couldn’t keep Christ dead. Jesus was dead and buried, He rose from the dead, and He is still alive! His resurrection won eternal life for Himself and us.

“Thank You, Lord, for offering Yourself to be crucified for our sins so that we may join You in eternal life.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Please share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/... 

Checks may be made payable to Cleveland Maidan Association and mailed to

Pokrova Ukrainian Church

6812 Broadview Rd.

Parma, OH 44134

 

Where Do We Plant Ourselves?

 

 

 “Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the one whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a wasteland. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. He is like a tree, planted beside the waters, that stretches out its roots to the stream. It fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green. In the year of drought it still bears fruit… I will reward each person according to the results of his deeds” (See Jeremiah 17:5-10).

The bush on the left is vulnerable. There’s nothing to protect it from the harsh elements of the desert. There’s no water, so it bears no fruit. It merely survives in its isolated, unchanging existence.

The tree on the right stretches its roots to the stream, which helps it grow and flourish. It’s not alone but surrounded by other fruitful plants and everything that lives in the stream. Even in times of drought, it bears fruit because of its thriving environment.

Where we plant ourselves will affect how fruitful we are. If we’re proactive in staying close to our Lord and His guidance, we’ll be fruitful in the ways God created us to be. We’ll produce good fruit if we place ourselves in environments that bring out the best in us, and surround ourselves with people who encourage us to be our most loving selves. Even when life feels difficult, we’ll still bear fruit if we resist the forces that try to pull us away from God.

Let’s take a look around and see where we’ve planted ourselves. Do I remind myself throughout the day that God is with me, and reach out to Him for affirmation and guidance? Do my work, hobbies, and how I spend my free time help me to become a more loving, generous person? Do my family, friends and I bring out the best in each other? Am I proactive in building a more peaceful world, starting with my home? Asking ourselves questions like these, especially as we approach Holy Week, will shine a light on how we might reach out to God to bear more good fruit.

 “Lord, life feels overwhelming at times. Show us how to plant ourselves closer to You. Nourish and refresh us. We trust Your promise to reward us according to our hearts and deeds.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell    Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/... 

Checks may be made payable to Cleveland Maidan Association and mailed to

Pokrova Ukrainian Church

6812 Broadview Rd.

Parma, OH 44134