My dad lost his job … again!

Layoffs have become par for the course during his career as a mechanical engineer. Eleven years here, six there, two years here, four and a half there, and so on. It gets to be predictable after a while – especially in times of economic turmoil – so he was not the least bit surprised when his boss delivered the news. He had already begun his next job search two months prior when billable hours became scarce and other co-workers were let go. Still, the reality of unemployment brings with it the financial stress of uncertainty. Day after day he does his part to research job possibilities, pursue leads, and wait for the phone to never ring while circling around in a seemingly endless holding pattern hoping to land somewhere before running out of gas.

In a brief phone conversation I was encouraging my dad that the Lord’s plans and timing are perfect when he remarked, “Well, I’m glad you have such a positive outlook!” Of course, he knows just like we all do that God has a greater purpose, but that’s far easier to see in hindsight. Visibility is usually zero when flying through the thickest fog of a journey that’s unpredictable. I can’t say I have such faith for my own struggles.

Most of us can readily quote the all-time favorite verses, “… all things work together for good to those who love God,” and, “I know the plans I have for you … to prosper you and not to harm you … to give you hope and a future” (Romans 8:28 NKJV; Jeremiah 29:11 NIV), and yet, when the rubber meets the road we are hard-pressed to truly believe these Scriptures. Sure, we can comfort others with such godly wisdom but often doubt their validity for our own lives.

How do we resolve this dilemma? We hope!

David spoke to his desperate soul, “Why are you downcast? Hope in God!” Instead of wallowing in despair he proclaimed to the Lord, “I will remember You” (Psalm 42:5).

So how do we hope? We remember!

In times when we face the greatest pressures of life our memory is most severely taxed. Our future seems so bleak that we think there is no possible way God could come through. Oddly enough, our recollection of hopeless circumstances is nearly photographic while the files containing God’s miraculous intervention have disappeared from the databases of our minds. The only way through the dark valleys we traverse today is to illuminate our pathways with the torch of yesterday’s victories.

The Lord says of us, “O my love, you are … awesome as an army with banners” (Song of Solomon 6:4). Imagine a mighty army striding forth with high-flying flags declaring every battle won. The enemy trembles at such a sight. We appear as a victorious army by proclaiming all the times we have triumphed over our adversary.

Sometimes all it takes is a little nudge for us to start searching the archives of our past to find those answered prayers. I encouraged my dad to think of other impossible situations and how God answered, then we prayed. A few days later – still no responses from potential employers – he was full of anticipation for the next season. I listened as he quoted Proverbs 16:9 recounting numerous times when “his heart devised his way, but the Lord directed his steps.” Remembering gave him more fuel to dream again as he planned his next course of action and prayed for God to determine each step.

This is how we make it through times of great difficulty, by remembering. Even if you can’t recall the mighty acts God has performed in your life, you can discover countless stories in the Old and New Testaments to remember His miracles of long ago. We must not forget His benefits. He is the God who forgives, heals, and acts on behalf of those who love Him. We can’t begin to comprehend what great things He has in store for us!

I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. – Psalm 77:11 NIV

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. – Psalm 103:2-3 NIV

… You did awesome things that we did not expect … Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. – Isaiah 64:3-4 NIV

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You. – Psalm 31:19 NKJV

I was reading a story about a small village whose inhabitants were losing their memory. One man began labeling everything. After studying the long term effects loss of memory could have on his community he decided to include the purpose of each item. One inscription read, “This is the cow. She must be milked every morning so that she will produce milk, and the milk must be boiled in order to be mixed with coffee …” (One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Marquez). Another sign simply stated, “God exists.”

Perhaps this is what we need to do.

God told the Israelites to keep His commands in their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, to talk about them everywhere, to tie them on their hands, to wear them on their foreheads as reminders, and to write them on their doorposts so they would not forget (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). That’s why David meditated on God’s righteous law and committed His word to memory (Psalm 119).

What if we were to write down every hopeless situation, record God’s answers, and then look back on these the next time we encounter obstacles in our path? If we would consider the events of our lives and remember the great things God has done for us we would be filled with joy and say with confidence each time we hit a bump in the road, “The Lord is good and His mercy endures forever.” That’s how Jehoshaphat’s army won. The Lord said, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s,” so he put singers in front of the army to praise the Lord and God set ambushes to defeat the enemy (2 Chronicles 20:14-22).

If we would simply REMEMBER the past we would have HOPE for the future! Let us remember and praise the Lord for His goodness. Today, we win!

How has the Lord acted on your behalf? Do you remember?

- Chérie Blair
(Written: Monday 08.24.09 … Five weeks later to the day my dad accepted a job offer for a better position and he didn’t even have to relocate!)

“Running on reserve battery!”

This is my least favorite Mac message … but it is a great reminder to stop and recharge. Usually, I keep going until the computer automatically shuts down; occasionally, I take the hint and scroll down to “sleep” before putting myself to bed.

This is life. So often we push ourselves well beyond our limit ignoring all signs that we are “running on reserve”, masking our true fatigue with coffee and energy drinks, burning the candle at both ends, and wondering why we hit a wall.

Can you relate?

What we really need is a little R&R. If the gas tank is empty we’ve got to fill it up!
Rest actually increases productivity. There is a good reason why the Lord mandated the Sabbath. Even God took a break after six days of creating. He commanded the Israelites to let the land lay fallow every seventh year. Ever wonder why farmers rotate their crops?

Do you plan for regular times to relax, replenish, refresh, refuel, rejuvenate, or whatever you like to call it? In other words … Do you REST? If it’s been a while – time to revamp that schedule. What time do you go to bed? Does that allow you eight hours of sleep before you have to get up? Do you take naps? What day of the week do you get to “cease from all your striving”? Does it actually revive you enough to start into the next week? When was the last time you took a vacation (even a short weekend excursion)?

I’ve been craving a trip to the beach I frequented when I lived in California … but time and $ only permitted a two-day escape to Branson, Missouri. Didn’t see any shows this time … just relaxed with my “sis” at our preferred “resort”. I enjoyed floating in the u-shaped Whirlpool while staring up at the clouds, watching a spectacular fire and water display at the Landing, rollerblading with ice cream sundaes-to-go in hand, listening to the winner of the annual fiddle fest, savoring ribs, steak, shrimp, sweet potatoes, trout, asparagus, and fancy cheeses at our favorite restaurants, sleeping in and watching a cute dog movie, etc.

Brief but refreshing!

Dialing down, taking our minds off the swirl of daily activities, and changing our scenery are just tangible means that direct our souls to the true Source of refreshment. Jesus said, “Come to Me, you who labor. I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Here’s a novel idea … this “Labor Day” how about celebrating a day of rest from your labor? Why not just “be”? Bob Fraser, director of the Joseph Company, likes to say, “God created human beings not human doings.” We sure like to do a lot, but as we stop to “wait upon the Lord” He promises to renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31).

Would you rather scurry along the ground like a rat in a race to nowhere or “mount up with wings as eagles” and soar over the mountains? Personally, I’d like to fly!

Let’s take time to recharge our batteries.

- Chérie Blair

Have you ever wondered, “What’s the point?”

You go to work, come home, have dinner, and somehow manage to cram in a myriad of activities before crashing on your pillow only to be alerted all too soon that it’s time to do it all over again. Don’t you ever wonder, “Why?”

So why do you do what you do anyway? Is it for a paycheck or because you just love your job? Are you after money, success, and recognition, or do you go to work for the sheer pleasure it brings? Even if we find a measure of enjoyment in our daily activities most marketplace Christians are simply doing what is necessary to make a living.

But consider with me for a moment …

What if we were to do what we do for one purpose: Love! What if we were to endure temporary hardships in the workplace with the same goal Jesus had when He endured the cross: Joy!

What if for the reward of eternal joy we would run the race set before us, press on for the prize, fix our eyes on Jesus, and fulfill every responsibility as an act of loving Him?

Just what if we were to adore God at work through our actions, not just our words? I tell you – if every believer went to work with this kind of focus every day there would be revival in the corporate world!

Well why not?

Jesus told us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Loving God with all our emotions, personality, thoughts, and abilities is the first and greatest commandment. We love God with our strength by working with excellence as unto Him.

So what do you do?

Think about all of your skills, gifts, talents, and resources. Are you using them as a means of loving God? Even if they seem to have no obvious relation to the Lord you can love Him simply by working as if He were the only One watching, evaluating, and taking pleasure in you. So today as you work, imagine God smiling at you and do every task as an expression of your loving devotion to Him.

Who knows, you may even experience His joy as you work.