“My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17
“Before we set our own goals and start working our own plans, we need to take time to consider how God is working around us. Eve with the best financial habits, money comes and money goes. Instead of measuring our worth through our investment portfolio, we need to remember our worth in Jesus Christ. When we plant ourselves in God, we will find ourselves blossoming. Whether it is lush green lawn in deep soil or bright blues of a beloved wildflower in rocky ground, our true wealth is rooted in the love of Jesus Christ through prayer, worship, community, and care of the other. When we align our lives to God, we invest in the joyful work of cooperating with all the rich wonders that God makes grow.”
Todd Salmi in Saving Grace: Hope-Filled Devotions Along the Way to Financial Well-Being (Nashville: Abingdon, 2020) 10.
Many of us return to work today. After a long weekend celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, it’s time to get back to work. So where should we apply ourselves? Careful, it’s a trick question.
The answer is that we must all plant ourselves in God regardless of our vocation.
Many people start the year crafting plans. Alternatively, I advise people to do the opposite. Fast, pray, and confess dependence on God to discern direction, to consider how God is working and engage with Him where you are with what you have.
One thing happens when we do this, when we plant ourselves in God. The result is blossoming.
Even as Jesus worked where He saw the Father working, we too can do likewise. It’s cooperating with God, and the best part is that we enjoy community with Him and others in the process.
So how might this idea shape your generosity in the new year? I will let you answer that alone with Him.