Don't Look for a Job
Dearest Father, Thank You that You have given me a purpose, instead of a job, like Jesus. To be a covenant to Your people, light to the nations, opening the eyes of the blind, seeing captives free. As written in the First Reading today.
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Today's Readings:
Monday of Holy Week
First Reading: Isaiah 42: 1-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 27: 1, 2, 3, 13-14
Gospel: John 12: 1-11
Reading 1, Isaiah 42:1-7
Isaiah 42:1-7 GNBDK
[1] The LORD says, “Here is my servant, whom I strengthen — the one I have chosen, with whom I am pleased. I have filled him with my Spirit, and he will bring justice to every nation.
[2] He will not shout or raise his voice or make loud speeches in the streets.
[3] He will not break off a bent reed or put out a flickering lamp. He will bring lasting justice to all.
[4] He will not lose hope or courage; he will establish justice on the earth. Distant lands eagerly wait for his teaching.”
[5] God created the heavens and stretched them out; he fashioned the earth and all that lives there; he gave life and breath to all its people. And now the LORD God says to his servant,
[6] “I, the LORD, have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to the nations.
[7] You will open the eyes of the blind and set free those who sit in dark prisons.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 27:1, 2, 3, 13-14
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, My foes and my enemies themselves stumble and fall.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear; Though war be waged upon me, even then will I trust.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Gospel, John 12:1-11
John 12:1-11 GNBDK
[1] Six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, the man he had raised from death.
[2] They prepared a dinner for him there, which Martha helped to serve; Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at the table with Jesus.
[3] Then Mary took half a litre of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house.
[4] One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot — the one who was going to betray him — said,
[5] “Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 silver coins and the money given to the poor?”
[6] He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.
[7] But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Let her keep what she has for the day of my burial.
[8] You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me.”
[9] A large number of people heard that Jesus was in Bethany, so they went there, not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from death.
[10] So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus too,
[11] because on his account many Jews were rejecting them and believing in Jesus.
Dearest Father,
Thank You that You have given me a purpose, instead of a job, like Jesus. To be a covenant to Your people, light to the nations, opening the eyes of the blind, seeing captives free. As written in the First Reading today.
Isaiah 42:6-7 GNBDK
[6] “I, the LORD, have called you and given you power to see that justice is done on earth. Through you I will make a covenant with all peoples; through you I will bring light to the nations.
Ever since I lost my other online job, which I have held for 7 years, I have been focused on the purpose that I know God has given me:
Proclaim good news to the poor.
Luke 4:18-19 GNBDK
[18] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free the oppressed [19] and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people.”
Mornings are spent writing and publishing. And my trillionaire morning routine, of course, that consist of morning mental diet of visioneering, daily executive meeting with God on prayer walks, and then core training and yoga, Son salutation.
Afternoons are for my day job to earn funds to support my ministry. Like Paul who makes tents when not teaching in the temple.
Evenings, I want to spend resting and not working anymore like I used to work before until 12 midnight.
Of course, I have concerns for my finances, knowing that I only spend a few hours working on only one job, unlike before, but God has been faithful in providing for me and my family, and I know He will continue to provide.
He has grasped me by the hand as His servant, one He has chosen. Like in His servant in the first reading.
Isaiah 42:6 CSB
[6] “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
I heard this teaching from my online pastor, Gary Kasee, that our God-given purpose or assignment is the safest place to be in this world.
I remember after I was forced to resign from my first employment as a hospital nurse because of 3 medication errors, I began seeking God's will and purpose for my life.
I began to understand that God has a calling on my life greater than my career.
So I surrendered my desire to go abroad to work as a nurse, discerning that God wants me to stay here and trust Him for new employment.
When He led me to one of the 3 top medical centers in our city to apply and I got in miraculously without any interview, I began to consider this employment as my field of assignment from God.
That, here, He wants me to grow and share my gift not only as a nurse but as a person and, above all, as His servant.
I stayed there for 20-plus years until I felt God calling me to work elsewhere.
How did I know He wanted me to work elsewhere? My desires changed. I felt a restlessness inside of me and a dissatisfaction in my current state of affairs that wasn’t there before.
I desired to, not only earn more than I was earning as a hospital nurse, I also desired work that is flexible in both time and location, one I could work on anytime and anywhere.
That brought me online as a virtual assistant and for a time, 7 years to be exact, I held two online jobs. I still viewed these works as assignments from God and His channel of provision for me and my family.
When God led me to build my own online business with the main purpose of proclaiming God's good news to the poor, I had to give more time to this call.
I had been writing and publishing once a week. But now, I felt God calling me to publish daily this time. Writing and publishing daily takes me about the whole morning.
Because of this, I worked less time for my jobs.
Now, I got cut out from one of my online jobs.
But instead of looking for another job, I felt God telling me not to look for a job but to focus on my Divine assignment, my purpose.
My financial concerns? God promises to be my Jehovah Jireh, my Provider.
This video from Billy Graham really comforted and inspired me when I heard the sad news that I got laid off after 7 years. It serves as God's mandate for me to focus on my purpose, and not to find a job to replace the one I lost.
Today, Holy Monday of Holy Week, Jesus is feeling the pressure around Him, as written in the Gospel today.
The stirring of death is in the air, the burden heavy in His heart.
But God's call is greater than His fears. God's call is greater than His comfort. Even His life.
Isaiah 42:6 CSB
[6] “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations.
In the midst of this oppressive atmosphere, Mary, sensing the sadness in her Master, at whose feet she sat countless times while He taught timeless truths as He visited them many times in the past, sought to comfort Him.
She broke an expensive jar of perfume that's a year’s worth of salary to anoint His feet. To show Him her love and gratitude for raising her brother Lazarus.
Prophetically, she was, without her knowing, anointing His body for burial in preparation for His death.
John 12:7-8 CEB
[7] Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. [8] You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.”
For the Jews, the dead body is always anointed with perfume before burial, but Mary, inspired by the Holy Spirit, decided to anoint the feet of Jesus at just that right moment so Jesus, while still alive, could enjoy the sweet aroma of the expensive perfume.
God was encouraging His Son, not just with the sweet aroma of the perfume, but with the living sacrifice of Mary, the woman who gave her life savings to buy the perfume with which to anoint Him as thanksgiving for all He has done.
Mary will be one of those countless souls He will save through His cross. He is the Son of God. He is also the Servant who will be God's covenant to the people, the light to the nations. By His Passion and Resurrection.
Jesus, the Son of God, answered the call of His Father. At the cost of His life. Trusting in the Father's care as He goes forward to face His enemies and the purpose for which He was born.
Shall we do less?
If you want to live a life of purpose instead of just following a paycheck, join me in our SpeakChrist RichLife Club. We'll do it together. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Live the RichLife in Christ today
Are you looking for a job, trusting in a paycheck?
Or are you going to serve God in the purpose He has called you to?
Free 🎁 for you. 👼
The world says we need a paycheck to survive.
God gave us our purpose to thrive.
Live your purpose. Just like Jesus.
Isaiah 42:6 CSB
[6] “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations
Now Your Turn
(Questions to ask yourself when scripture journaling)
What verses spoke to me strongly and powerfully from the scripture readings?
What is God saying to me in these verse or verses?
What does God want me to do today?
Journal prompts of the day
Are you looking for a job, trusting in a paycheck?
Or are you going to serve God in the purpose He has called you to?
Are you living for God’s call or for your career?
Vivo dives vitae in Christo. Live the RichLife in Christ.
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Helping dreamers, like me, live the RichLife in Christ daily so we can go from being tired doubters and dabblers to becoming thankful believers and doers consistently achieving what God wants us to be, do, and have, without struggle, becoming God’s sources and symbols of blessing, extremely blessed and blessing others.