Words from the Rock
This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.
John 6:29 NLT
We live in a culture where jobs and work are taken fairly seriously. Most high schools put a lot of emphasis on planning for college, focusing on career options, offering work-study programs or internships, and generally preparing you for life as a responsible, self-supporting adult. That’s all well and good, and your parents probably encourage these same ideals—since they don’t want to support you forever—but Jesus plainly says that the only work God has for you is to believe in him.
So does that mean you won’t need to get a job? Probably not. What it does mean is that there is nothing more important for you to invest your time and energy in than the maintenance of your faith. Your most important work is to believe in the one God has sent.
In other words, God wants you to take your faith even more seriously than you would a career. That means you must work at it. Some of the ways you can do that are by reading and studying God’s Word, praying regularly, attending some form of fellowship, and sharing God’s Good News with others. But mostly you need to work on the condition of your heart by keeping it right with God. That’s your job—yours alone—and God says it’s the most important thing you can do. And here’s some more good news: the more diligently you work on maintaining your faith, the more God will direct you in other things like finding the perfect career. So really, it’s a win-win situation.
My Prayer
Dear God,
Help me to remember that you want me to work at believing in you. Show me new ways to do this—and help me not to be a slacker.
Amen.
Final Word
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV
Stone for the Journey
My most important job is to believe in God.