Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s work on recognizing God’s use of vocational schools.

Today’s scripture, Mark 1:16-18 (NLT), shares…
[16] One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. [17] Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” [18] And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Consider…
According to Wikipedia, a vocational school, trade school, or technical school is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational education or technical skills required to complete the tasks of a particular and specific job.

What are you good at? What do you do for a living? What would others consider you a Subject Matter Expert (SME) at?

When I was growing up, I remember being fascinated by a vocational school that was available to highschool students. There they could learn carpentry, plumbing, mechanics, etc. Upon completion of their matriculation, they could join a trade and become a professional at the skill they had learned.

This reminds me of the story of David. As a shepherd boy, he fought to save his father’s sheep from dangerous predators. Thus, when the God’s chosen people needed a champion to fight for them, David was trained and ready to step up.

Pay close attention to verses 34-37 from 1 Samuel 17:32-37 (NLT)…
[32] “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” [33] “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” [34] But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, [35] I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. [36] I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! [37] The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”

Notice David convinced King Saul that he could defeat this deadly enemy threatening the Heavenly Father’s children, because he had been vocationally trained by God to defeat deadly enemies threatening his father’s sheep.

Recognize what God will prepare you for whatever He wants you to do for Him. Like the saying goes, “God doesn’t call those who are qualified, HE qualifies those who are called”.

Another example of this is Moses. Notice God educated him in Egypt so that he could write the first five books of the Bible. And God trained him to be a shepherd so that he could lead God’s chosen people out of captivity to freedom. Indeed, Moses was vocationally trained for God’s purposes…and so are you.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (NLT) explains…
[10] God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. [11] Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Our God given gifts reveal the vocation God has called us to do for Him.

Oxford Languages defines a vocation as…

• a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation.
• a person’s employment or main occupation, especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication.

This makes me think of the final example for today, which is Jesus Christ himself.

Hebrews 2:16-18 (NLT) says…
[16] We also know that the Son did not come to help angels; he came to help the descendants of Abraham. [17] Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. [18] Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

God immersed Jesus in humanity to prepare Him to fully understand and deliver us from the captivity of sin and death to the freedom from sin’s penalty and power and to eternal life. Because Christ was vocationally trained in being human, He was able to be the source of love and grace we needed to be made right with God.

Romans 3:23-24 (NLT) explains…
[23] For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. [24] Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Today, as you go about doing that which God has gifted you to do, remember that it’s for His glory that He wrote your story. Therefore, as my signature scripture, 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT), says…
[31] So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

So I challenge you to see everything that you do as your matriculation through God’s vocational school. And remember that God is always preparing you for what HE pre-planned for you to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Today’s Song is…
He’s Preparing Me

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)