Where does God belong? Does He only belong in church or the hospital waiting room when we are pleading with Him to save the life of someone we love? Is He just supposed to be available when we have a list of requests only He can fill?
I don’t know about you, but I’m rather tired of being told where God does or does not belong. And, I don’t want to be the kind of Christ follower who only calls on Him when I’m in need.
Many years ago, while working in an office, I started a lunch time bible study with a few co-workers. We were all independent insurance agents, working in the same agency, so our time was our own. What started out as about five of us became most of the office; about twelve in all. It was a nice group of people all enjoying the fellowship that came with studying about prayer together. It was great!
The day the manager of the office came to me to discuss our bible study gathering will forever be imbedded in my mind. I’d love to tell you he wanted to join our little group, but unfortunately, it was just the opposite. He wanted me to disband our bible study. He didn’t mind if we all got together to eat lunch in the office, but he didn’t like the idea of having a bible study. He didn’t feel God belonged in the workplace. I reminded him that I rented space from him and since we were all independent contractors, he did not have the authority to make us disband our study. He agreed I was correct and left. That should be the end of the story, but…
The manager began privately talking to some of the people attending my little bible study luncheon. Sadly, many caved and decided to leave the study. They were intimidated by the phrase “God does not belong in the workplace”. It saddened me then as it saddens me today.
I’ve had this sort of discussion with others over the years and always ask the same question. “If God does not belong in the work place, where does He belong?” You’d be surprised at the looks I get when I ask that question. It confuses them because they don’t know what to say. They just think God does not belong in certain places.
God belongs everywhere, period!
One of the things the office manager said to me is said by many these days. “We don’t want to offend anyone by bringing God in the office.”
Are you as tired as I am of being offended because my love of God is somehow offensive to others? @$%@$!&$* Sorry, that’s just me SCREAMING!
Why doesn’t God belong? What are we afraid of? Are we really afraid to offend or are we afraid to be labeled? “Oh she’s one of those Jesus freaks!”
Even when I was a young Christian I understood it was something to be proud of, not something to hide. Jesus freak is a label I’m happy to wear!
Am I a fully devoted follower of Christ?
I get it, I really do. No one wants anything they don’t believe in shoved at them all the time. I don’t want someone throwing another religion at me any more than I should be throwing the bible at anyone else. But that’s not what this is about. This is simply about God being taken out of so much and those who claim faith in Him being afraid to let the world know they love their Creator. If I call myself a fully devoted follower of Christ, then I should not be afraid to let people know how much He means to me. It then becomes their choice to socialize with me or not.
Just as I speak lovingly of my husband, children and friends, I should also be able to speak lovingly about my Savior without it becoming an issue.
So here are two simple questions:
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If Jesus were to walk into your office, School, business or social gathering, would He feel welcome? Would He belong? If not, why not?
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Do the people who know you, know you are a Christ follower? Do they know you have a personal relationship with Him? If not, why not?
Only you can answer those questions. I promise there’s no test. But, I want to encourage you. If your answers are no, but you do consider yourself a strong Christian, please ask God to give you the courage to show others your love for Him. Ask Him for holy boldness to show others how important He is in your life.
Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8
He’s always with me
It’s very simple for me and I want it to be for you too. He’s always with us. He’s in our everything. Hey, God created everything, so why would He not be involved in everything?
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven,” Matthew 10:32
If this is an area of struggle and you’d like a little help and encouragement, please comment or email. We’re all in this together, let’s work it through together.
In His embrace,
Toni
Toni! I am high fiving you sister! Why is it no one ever goes to the person who uses God’s name in vain, tells the crude jokes or cusses like a sailor? The workplace is a mission field each Christ follower should be pursuing. I agree we don’t want to shove it down people’s throats, but at the same time if you are over the age of 18 if the US we still have the ability to make our own choices of what we want to do at lunch. Great Post! Now, I’m fired up!
Fired up! Woo Hoo!! High five right back at ya! 🙂
Thank you for the encouragement!
Love you!
I loved this Tony. Doni and I came across this issue recently. We were on God’s side the right side to us. God belongs in everything I do or say. He is always there. Even if I think he isn’t. He is right by my side. I have been bringing his name up a lot in conversations about our business. We had someone leave a horrible voicemail on how we should not be using God’s name to grow a business. We were blasphemer’s. It did not belong in a business name. We were using his name for gain. I returned a call to him that did not go well. I let Doni hear the message then he called him and of course when Doni brought up the bible and Blasphemy he quickly hung up. We are not using God for gain. It’s only the name of our business. Either people like it or they don’t. At least if they see our vehicles they have either said or had to read the word God in our name. That little bit still spreds his name also has people think of where they are with God. Are they right with him or are they far from a relationship with him. The same day we got that call. Doni was visiting a client. A car pulled up to Doni and a gentleman told him he just loved our name. He has a silk screening business called DBF Graphics. “Driven by Faith”. He was glad we felt the way we do and were not hindered by putting his Name on our Vehicles. So right when Satan tried to break us down, we resisted and then God sent DBF to say “God does belong” in whatever we do. Even in the workplace.
I hope this helps in your message. It did help me too.
Carmen,
I am so sorry you and Doni had this trouble. The very small percent of people that do this sort of thing are so annoying! Knowing God is in and amongst your entire lives makes me so happy and thankful to be in fellowship with you! You are a blessing to me, your family, and so many others. Hang in there sweet sister! You and Doni are glorifying the name of Jesus every day!
Keep fighting the good fight! When I moved to Indiana from the east coast about 5 years ago I was so refreshed to be free to express my faith out in the open again. I told my husband, “This place is about 10 years behind where they are in the east.” I remember thinking how grateful I was that God brought me to a place where I could openly share about Him. Over the 5ish years I’ve been here I can see a steady change in tolerance. It’s sad to think we are catching up to the east. Thank you for shredding light on this subject. God bless you and your ministry!
Lori,
I know exactly how you feel! I, too, have lived in area’s where speaking freely of God is looked upon as odd. It shouldn’t be that way but, sadly, it is
I wish more people, who claim faith in God, would be more outspoken especially since it’s such a privilege in this country to be able to do so. We have so many brothers and sisters across the world who only wish they had the freedom of religion as we do.
Thank you for your encouragement!
God bless you and yours!
I too love this article Toni. Encouraged by your guidance and mentorship , I began letting the people I worked with know how “on Fire” I was for Jesus. People starting coming to me and asking me to pray for them. Soon I started asking people to write down their prayer requests in a notebook I made available. Every week I would email them out to all who participated and soon we were all praying for one another. The workplace gossip stopped as well as all the cursing. We were blessed, no one ever complained and many great friendships were formed that remain today. Thanks for instilling in me the courage to be a Warrior for our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Nancy,
You are one of the most wonderful children of God I have ever had the privilege of knowing! You’re passion for leading others to the saving grace of our Lord is beautiful and inspiring.
Love and miss you my precious friend.
Oh Toni: What a wonderful article you have written, once again. How well I remember when the ‘manager’ came to say disband the group. How very sad it all was. As a few years passed on I was even more saddened by all of the ‘evil’ I saw everywhere I turned in that city.
Do you remember when I moved to Ft. Wayne, I believe I called you up to tell you how wonderful it was to walk in WalMart and hear Christian music playing. That didn’t happen where we lived previously. I kind of felt like I was really home then.
Sadly, I do remember a time I was one of those people – like our ‘manager’. My ears and eyes were closed, but God had other plans for me. And I praise His name for that, and I am so grateful for the people He puts in my life – like you!
You go girl!!!!
Thank you friend for such precious words of encouragement. We all have our eyes and ears open at different times and in different circumstances. So glad we have both seen and heard the good news!