Encountering God: Redeeming Our Employment (And Everythng Else) For the Glory of GOD.

“Could I have some earth?”  In II Kings 19 verse 17, Naaman makes a rather bazaar request, he says, “Let there be given your servant two mules load of earth, for from now on your  servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any God but the LORD.”

To understand the meaning behind this request, let us remember the official capacity in which Naaman served his own nation; he was what we would today understand to be the Prime Minister.  As a part of that official capacity, he would participate in ceremonies of state that included worship of the false Gods of Syria.  This placed Naaman in a rather difficult quandary, how can he remain faithful to the God he has encountered, the God who has saved him and restored him and still continue in his employment for the state?  The answer lies in that dirt that he asked for.  Those two mule loads contained the soil of Israel.  Every time Naaman would be called to attend his official functions of state, and when those functions were accompanied by deference to the false Gods of Syria, Naaman would pour some soil in that place, and kneel upon the soil of Israel, so that all around would know that he worships the Only True God – the God of the Jews – The LORD God of Israel. 

The God of Israel is now central to everything Naaman would now do.  Naaman integrated his faith with his secular employment.  This is important for we who work in secular employments.  We can make – even secular places – a holy place, by honoring God.  We can redeem our jobs for the glory of Christ!  And not only our jobs, but every place in which we live and serve and play and learn, can be a place where we integrate our faith and become a witness for God.

It may be a difficult place, with difficult challenges, but you are there as an influence for God and as a demonstration of HIS holiness before others.  Separation from the world does not mean to remove ourselves from it, it means to live separated unto God in all holiness and righteousness within it, testifying that God is central to everything you do.