September 29, 2022 • Life for Leaders
Scripture—Psalm 105:4
Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
Focus
God is present as you work. Pay attention and you’ll see God’s face.
Devotion
The NRSV translation of Psalm 105:4 reads, “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.” This is an accurate rendering of the original Hebrew, though the word translated as “presence” has a literal meaning of “faces.” Thus, the King James Version reads, “Seek the LORD, and his strength; seek his face evermore.”
What I love about “face” is how personal and relational it is. God is present with us, not just in some distant and impersonal way. Rather, God is looking upon us. God sees us and is close at hand.
Psalm 105 urges us to seek God’s face – God’s personal presence – not just in times of prayer and worship, not just when we’re in so-called holy or thin spaces, but “continually.” Thus, we are encouraged to look for God at all times, even in the context of our daily work. Work is not some kind of spiritually neutral space, a place where God is absent. Rather, God is present, active, and engaging in our workplaces. We can learn to be attentive to God as we work, seeking God’s wisdom, feeling God’s heart, remembering God’s promises, pursuing God’s glory.
Prayer
Gracious God, as I work today, I seek you. I know you are present with me. Help me to take off my blinders, to open the eyes of my heart to see you.
May I learn to work in your presence, knowing that you are watching me, that you are available to me. Help me to honor you in all I do and say at work.
Sometimes, Lord, when I’m absorbed in some problem, when my attention to focused on the challenges in front of me, I can act as if you’re not there. That’s especially true when I face disappointment and discouragement. In those times, gracious God, may I see you.
As I work in your presence, may my heart be calm and my mind clear. May I offer all that I do to you as worship. May you be glorified in me and my work. Amen.
Ponder Throughout the Day
Seek God’s face as you work today.
For Further Reflection
Read all of Psalm 105.
I’d like to recommend a wonderful book: Working in the Presence of God: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Work. Written by Denise Daniels and Shannon Vandewarker, this book is filled with wise and practical ways for you to experience God’s presence in your daily work.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, The High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Seek the Lord.
Subscribe to Life for Leaders
Sign up to receive a Life for Leaders devotional each day in your inbox. It’s free to subscribe and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a Senior Strategist for Fuller’s Max De Pree Center for Leadership, where he focuses on the spiritual development and thriving of leaders. He is the principal writer of the daily devotional, Life for Leaders, and the founder of the De Pree Center’s Flourishing in the Third Third of Life Initiative. Previously, Mark was the Executive Director of the De Pree Center, the lead pastor of a church in Southern California, and the Senior Director of Laity Lodge in Texas. He has written eight books, dozens of articles, and over 2,500 devotions that help people discover the difference God makes in their daily life and leadership. With a Ph.D. in New Testament from Harvard, Mark teaches at Fuller Seminary, most recently in his D.Min. cohort on “Faith, Work, Economics, and Vocation.” Mark is married to Linda, a marriage and family counselor, spiritual director, and executive coach. Their two grown children are educators on the high school and college level.
More Like This
