Many people know early in their lives what they want to do as a career, or pursuit in life, but many of us don’t. For many, life becomes a continual process of looking for that mission that we are “supposed” to be on.

The Bible provides some wisdom for those searching for their mission in Ecclesiastes.

Solomon, considered to be the wisest man in history, wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:4-7 “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.”

I think the message, for us is, pick something and work at it, always looking and listening for God’s direction. If we do our best, with faith in God’s direction, he will lead us.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can have confidence that you have a plan for us. Help us find the paths that you intend for us, and put our trust in your guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We all know that God created us with a free will to choose. There is a constant battle going on inside each of us; a battle between our desire to choose to obey God and do what is right, and our desire to choose to follow the “self-centered” desires that the world would have us follow.

Think of all the modern day social issues that revolve around the “right” and “freedom” to do things that are clearly wrong according to God.

Paul writes to the church in Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

Dear Lord, please help us use the freedom you gave us to live lives that glorify you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 2 Begins with the story of Jesus’ first miracle, when he changed the water into wine at the wedding in Galilee.

John 2:11-12 says, “This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.”

After this miracle, the small group went away for a few days. What do you think the conversation was during those few days in Capernaum? They probably had many questions about how Jesus did this miracle, and what this meant for them and for the world. We might call it reflection and analysis of the events.

I think there is a lesson for us in this story. There are times when we have seen God’s goodness, or His intervention in our lives; like protection from a tragedy, relief from an illness, or some coincidence that makes things go well for us. Maybe the lesson for us in this story is to take a moment to reflect and analyze what God has done and what it means.

Dear Lord, Thank you for working in our lives, and the lives of those we love. Help us remember to take time to see your work and blessings, and take time to acknowledge and give You thanks. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Bible writes about us being “perfected.” In Matthew 5:48 Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

In order to be “perfect,” we need to have a standard by which to measure ourselves. That standard is Jesus. So God is constantly working on those who believe, so that they become more and more like Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 3:16,18 Paul writes, “But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away….. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

We will never reach the objective of perfection, until we are joined with Jesus in eternity, but while we are here, the pursuit of perfection is our objective, and when we need some correction, God will be providing it.

Dear Lord, when we accept Jesus, we are accepting the fact that you will be working on us, to make us better and more like him. When we remember this, we can embrace the challenges and trials we endure as training toward perfection. Help us become more like Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.

It is not uncommon for some Christians to be entirely focused on the writings in the New Testament. This makes some sense, because that is where the stories of Jesus and the early Christian church are written. However, there is knowledge and wisdom for us in the Old Testament as well.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”

The prophets include those more familiar, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, but also the less familiar, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obediah, Jonah, Micah, and others. Most of the prophets were giving the people of that time messages from God, trying to get them back on course after having strayed from God’s will. There are messages in there for us today also. One of the additional benefits for us is the historical evidence for the Bible. Many of the prophecies have been the fulfilled, and modern archeology has confirmed these Bible prophecies including the first destruction of Jerusalem and Babylonian captivity of the Jews, the return of the Jews, and rebuilding of the temple.

Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:19-21, “… we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

Dear Lord, We thank you for the confirming evidence of the Bible available as a result of the prophecies. Help us read them with introspection into our own lives and how we may be off the track you desire for us, and bring us back in line. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.