Last week, I told my husband that since I started writing this blog, I felt like I dedicated more time to writing than rebuilding my business. I wrote for the company on occasion but stopped for various reasons. One reason is my inability to juggle between homeschooling my children, conducting business, and blogging for personal and business. My friends call me “Superwoman,” but I’m not. It’s tough! Honestly, I don’t know how I function most days. It’s the grace of God I suppose.
My income comes from the company, not my blog. This isn’t monetized, and I’m unsure if it will be. I knew God gave me this command, yet I felt business duties took a back seat – majorly. This was also a concern because God gave me the vision to create New Life C&T in 2020. How could I forget about the vision I held onto so tightly?
I had this conversation with my husband – without regard for what God would think and feel. Not that there was anything wrong with this. We do it every day without thinking. We are people with lives carrying so many responsibilities. Yet, we forget that He is very much interested in every aspect of our lives.
I think it’s cool that He does care so much. Especially enough to intervene, guide, and give us food for thought. It shows that He isn’t all fire and brimstone, but one Who loves too. Maybe I’m weird, I don’t know. Anyway, He was very much interested in what I was thinking and my feelings. So much so that He interrupted my sleep.
Around 1:41am I woke up, which is not my usual time. I’m normally awake between 2:50am (so precise I know) and 3:30am. I decided to pray since it was early enough. On my knees and hunched over the bed. With my hands clasped, and eyes closed, I began to ramble on about what was on my mind. Namely schisms in the Church body, and the seeming disregard of Church history in teachings. Does anyone else think about these things? Maybe not. I do it more often than I should.
So, after maybe 10 minutes, I decided to quit rambling and actually focus on hearing what the Lord had in His heart. Once I did, in my spirit I heard Matthew 17. Ok…disclosure statement: I did not know what Matthew 17 was about. I am one of those people who knows the verse, but probably couldn’t link the chapter and verse. “The Bible says….somewhere in Romans it talks about…” yeah, I’m that person.
There is a lot to unpack in Matthew 17. Jesus’ transfiguration is a whole sermon in itself, and there’s a boy afflicted by a demonic spirit. As I was reading through the chapter, I wasn’t sure why I was reading it. I didn’t understand why I was led to it. I almost gave up reading beyond verse 22, but it was sort of pressed upon me to read until the end.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. – Matthew 17:27
I’m a King James (KJV) fan, but I won’t pretend I understand everything it says. I read it because I like the challenge. Well KJV wasn’t making too much sense to me at 2 am. I didn’t grasp at the moment what was being discussed in this verse, and the ones before it. At 2 am, I wanted to go back to sleep. Yet, I was determined to get the context. Again, why was I reading it to begin with? After reviewing other translations and reading a commentary – it hit me! This was about what my husband and I discussed the night before.
Remember when I said God is interested in every aspect of our lives? Well, He made it a point to make something aware to me. “What work we do at Christ’s command brings its own pay along with it: In keeping God’s commands, as well as after keeping them, there is great reward…”. 1
Unrelated but for context, Matthew 17:24 speaks about the tribute collectors asking Peter if Jesus pays tribute or tax2. In verse 25, Peter replies, “Yes, He does.” Peter then enters the house, and Jesus asks Peter from whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes – from their own children or from others? In verse 26, Peter replies, “from others.”
To which, Jesus replies that “…the children are exempt.” Meaning that His disciples were exempt because they were the children of the true living King. There is a deeper meaning to this. So, I would encourage those who aren’t familiar to do a deeper dive. In verse 27, to not cause controversy, Jesus told Peter to go fishing. The first fish Peter caught had money in its mouth for Peter to pay the tax for Jesus and himself.
Now back to the point. Matthew Henry notes that Peter used his calling (fisherman) to catch the fish. When we are called to do something, we must be diligent in what we are doing. We must be ready to work for Him. When Peter caught the fish, he took the money from its mouth. This money represented the “reward for obedience in obedience.” 3
I found this to be pretty interesting. The other commentaries and references didn’t make this connection. Jesus told Peter to do what he knew how to do to get something done. How does this apply to me? God was telling me to write, and He would handle the rest. Thus reminding me, that He would help my family and me.
As long as I remain obedient to what He asks me to do, there is a reward for my obedience. The reward doesn’t necessarily mean money. But, whatever the reward is, I can trust it is the best if it’s from Him. It is important to trust God. I was concerned about the financial and operational aspects of the business. I forgot who He is. He didn’t rebuke me. In His loving kindness, Jesus reminded me that He will supply all our needs, according to His riches in glory.
Take heart and be comforted in whatever or wherever the Lord leads you. While it may be difficult to understand, trust, and believe that He knows what you need. He has you in the palm of His hand.
theOlivetbee 