Show notes
Does God care about my job? Often, we put our spiritual life in one category, and our work life in another. But the answer is YES, He does care about our work! Not only does He care, He created work. Instead of using the words “job,” “work,” “profession,” or “career,” have you thought of your work as your vocation—something tied to your calling and how God has wired you?
In the 1960s and 1970s, YWAM’s Loren Cunningham, CRU’s Bill Bright, and Francis Schaeffer started discussing the idea of spheres of influence. They outlined seven: 1) Family 2) Church 3) Government 4) Education 5) Media 6) Arts, Entertainment and Sports 7) Business. Because of the way the world has changed since then, Dave Buehring added 8) Science and Technology 9) Health, Medicine and Wholeness 10) Agriculture, Environment and Zoology 11) Non-Profits and Service Organizations 12) Peoples (people groupings by race, ethnicity, language, affinities)
Scripture References
Psalm 24:1 – The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (NIV)
John 1:3 – Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. (NIV)
Vocation Defined
We swap that word out of work, job, profession or we think of it only in the sacred context
The root word of vocation is the Latin vocation—work combined with or married to God’s calling or leading on our lives.
Consider how you’ve been uniquely made to do certain things, how God has wired you, your
natural abilities, acquired skills, and spiritual gifts.
Vocation is a combination of how you’re wired, God’s calling on your life and your work.
Martin Luther quotes on this topic
- “God Himself is milking the cows through the vocation of the milkmaid.”
- “The idea that service to God should have only to do with the church altar, singing, reading, sacrifice, and the like is without doubt the worst trick of the devil. How could the devil have led us more effectively astray than by the narrow conception that service to God takes place only in church and by works done therein…The whole world could abound with services to the Lord…not only churches but also in home, kitchen workshop and field.”
Chapter 2 of the new book The Great Opportunity: Making Disciples of Jesus in Every Vocation describes how Isaiah was made into a polished arrow.” The concept of Seeing—Shaping—Sending. He sees God (encounters Him), He is shaped by God, and he is sent by God.
Too many people have an encounter with God (seeing) and run right away to sending (engaging in their calling/cause), and skip the shaping process. God wants to develop our character before He sends us.
“While you are in your 20s and 30s, it’s more about what God is building in you than what He is doing through you.” – Dave Buehring
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2020 Dave Buehring / Lionshare, All Rights Reserved.
When available, episode notes are at Lionshare.org/podcast. Learn more about Lionshare's ministry at Lionshare.org. Purchase books on discipleship and subscribe to teaching videos at Lionshare.org/store. Download the Lionshare Leadership Group app (Lionshare.org/app) for free video devotionals and this podcast.
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