Issue 104
Sometimes we experience prodigal moments at work: fragments of time where we realise we have squandered our inheritance, wasted our gifts or, wandered away from home. The length of the moment can be an hour, a week or years. We undermineor compromise our beliefs, and lose our way.
As you look back on your working life, how many times have you blown it? You find yourself thinking, saying or doing things which you now know to be incorrect. Motivated by greed, fear or ambition you chose to behave in a way which contradicted your core beliefs or at least went against your better judgement. And now you feel distant from God; no matter whether the outcome was successful or a failure; no matter that it enhanced or inhibited your career.
But how to find a way back? How to restore your soul and look your God full in the face again and not feel uneasy? It is at these moments when we come to our senses and long for our God that the surprises come. We have strayed into a far country of indifference and self-centred behaviour and our God forms an open embrace to welcome us, rather than a clenched fist. His words are welcoming, not condemning, and there is a celebratory rather than a sour note.
Strangely it is at these times when we discover the deeper nature of our Father’s heart. Everything about our religion tells us that he is angry,but instead there is a party. We don’t deserve it but he creates the welcome which surprises our souls.
So, we fall, we squander, we compromise and time and again he waits and welcomes and patches us up. There is nothing like this anywhere else. It’s not an invitation to keep falling but to keep coming home. It’s a working practice that never arises in the company rules and it teaches us to work well.
Luke 23:39-43
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:33-34
33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals–one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
John 17:1-5
1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: 2″Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began
Luke 11: 1-4
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2He said to them, “When you pray, say: ” ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3Give us each day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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