Ultimate Hope

2020 has been one heckuva year, has it not? I often see posts and memes on social media lamenting the awfulness of this year and looking ahead, longing for something better. As a believer in Christ, I know that the “something better” for which we all long has already been accomplished.

Amidst all the noise that is 2020, this assurance rings true:

God’s goodness and love have not left the building. God is just as present in 2020 as He has ever been. He speaks to us through His Word just as He always has. And, fellow believers, we have so much to look forward to, including the incredible promise that we will dwell with Him forever.

God has much good to say to us, but we must dial in. Be in the Word. Be in prayer. Be in worship, whether online or in person. God is our ultimate hope for our life’s future and for our eternal destiny. Indeed, we can take comfort in these words from one of the most quoted chapters in Scripture, remembering that even in the darkest of days and the toughest of times, God is in control. He’s got this. And He’s got you and me cradled in His loving arms – today and for all eternity.

With that reality in mind, let’s take on this day!

Soli DEO Gloria!

What Were You Thinking??

“What were you thinking??”

Have you ever asked that question of yourself or someone else? You know, when you say or do something that, in hindsight, you realize was totally wrong or stupid or harmful… I can think of many times in my life when I sit in the quiet of the morning, thinking about something I said or did the day before or even sometime way in my past, shaking my head and asking my self, “What were you thinking??”

“Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.”

Psalm 51:1 NASB

The story of King David and Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11) is one of the Old Testament accounts that intrigues me the most. In summary, King David looks out the window of his palace and sees the beautiful Bathsheba bathing on her rooftop. Although Bathsheba is married, David summons her to the palace and has sex with her. Bathsheba becomes pregnant as a result, so to cover up what he had done, David sends for her husband, Uriah, from battle and suggests that he take a break and lay with his wife. Uriah refuses to do so, citing his loyalty to his fellow soldiers whom he had left behind in battle. So, David sends Uriah back into battle with a note the commander that Uriah be placed front-and-center on the battle line and, of course Uriah is killed – just as David had planned. After Uriah’s death, David takes Bathsheba as his wife.

“What were you thinking??”

The Bible tells us that God sent the prophet Nathaniel to confront David with this horrible sin (see 2 Samuel 12). He uses a parable to do so, and when David declares that the guilty man portrayed in the parable should die, Nathan announces, “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7). David, upon realizing his guilt before God, offers the confession recorded for us in Psalm 51.

You may be asking, “Why is the account of David and Bathsheba one of your favorites?” Here are two points to consider:

1. David, even in spite of this horrible sin, is one of the great men of God. This story reminds me that God does great things through imperfect people; imperfect people like me and you. David, as a human, was unqualified to serve God, as am I. But God chooses to qualify the unqualified. He worked amazing things through David and, if He chooses, He can work amazing things through me and through you, too.
2. Do you think David knew the character of God? I do. Note the three adjectives that David cites as he asks God to forgive his sins. God is gracious (merciful, compassionate); God shows lovingkindness (tender and benevolent); God demonstrates compassion (sympathetic consciousness of another’s distress with a desire to alleviate it)(i). Remember, this is the Old Testament. This is before Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins. Aside from faith in the God he knew to be gracious, kind and compassionate, David had no grounds to ask for forgiveness. But he asked. And God forgave. Not only did He forgive, but He kept His promise to David as evidenced by the birth of Solomon by Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:24-25). And, as promised, David was in the lineage of Jesus, Himself (Matthew 1:6).

I find it both beautiful and comforting that God chooses to forgive us, even when we commit horrible, wicked sins. That He chooses to show mercy and grace when we fail and when we confess our failures. He did so in Old Testament times and He does so now, in these New Testament times, through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Indeed, Jesus seals the deal. Through faith in Him we are assured that we will spend eternity with Him in a place called Heaven.

I am encouraged that God chooses to work through imperfect, sinful people. He chose to work through David. My hope and prayer is that God will choose to work through me, too. Of course, I’m no King David. But I do have a passion to share the Gospel. That is why I post here and on Instagram @workisministry. That is why I started the My Morning Walk channel on YouTube. I put the content out there and I trust God to use it to inspire, encourage, motivate and draw others to faith in Jesus, or to not use it according to His good and perfect will. I don’t have to know; I trust Him.

Soli DEO Gloria!

(i) Definitions from Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online

Image Credit: You Version Bible App

(c) workisministry 2020

The Majesty of Creation

During a recent visit to the ophthalmologist for my wife’s glaucoma, the doctor used a large illustration of the eye to explain what was going on. As she explained the eye structure to us, I saw clear evidence of the Creator. There is no way the human eye evolved by chance, from nothing. No way.

I speak often about how God reveals Himself through Scripture. He also reveals Himself through His magnificent Creation. The Apostle John, in describing Jesus, says this in part, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭NASB‬‬)

Want to see Jesus today? Just look around you. Consider nature and the order of the universe. Consider our environment and how it is set up to support all kinds of life. Speaking of all kinds of life…wow, such variety! To dismiss the Architect of all of this is to dismiss our Lord Himself.

🎶 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the Earth! 🎶

Happy Lord’s Day, time to prepare for worship!

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image credit @youversion

Time Flies…

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” someone once said. Or, how about this: “Time flies when you’re busy at work.” Whatever the reason, time flies! It’s been almost five months since I last posted here. I was thinking about that over the weekend, and I realized that this ministry is important. But in order for God to use it, I must do the work. So, here I am. I’m back.

“So, what happened?” you may be asking. Or maybe not. In any event, I’m going to tell you. The succinct answer is, “Life happened.” What does that mean, really? It means I’ve been very busy at work, spending more Saturdays than not at the office. As of now I am reclaiming my weekends. It means I became a bit lazy in my morning routine. As of today I am reclaiming my mornings. It means I let the busyness of life interfere with this ministry. There is a proper balance here; I just need to find it. I am trusting God to help me do that.

That’s about all I have to say this morning. As you can see, the purpose of this post is not really to impart any Scriptural wisdom; that comes next. The purpose of this post is simply to get me writing again. To reengage and recommit.

I will leave you with this:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 118:1

Indeed, His mercy endures. Even when I’m busy. Even when I’m distracted. No matter what, He is there. And for that I am thankful.

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image Credit: You Version Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019

When in Trouble…

The Psalms offer so much, from cries of despair and repentance to promises of comfort and deliverance. I recently wrote about God’s provision of strength and courage during trying times. Today, God offers rescue:

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Psalm 50:15

Our home was one of many flooded by the federal government in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. We evacuated by boat as the flood waters rose. Kind volunteers with bass boats along with the US Coast Guard helped us and our neighbors safely escape the rising flood. We were dropped off at the entrance to our neighborhood on Memorial Drive. The transportation we were told would be waiting to take us to shelter was nowhere to be seen. Upon asking a police officer sitting in his parked cruiser about that, he replied, “you are on your own.”

I was angry and frustrated. There we stood, rain falling, my wife, my son and I with four wet dogs and a crated cat. We had nowhere to go and no way to get there. I honestly didn’t know what to do. At that moment, a black Cadillac Escalade pulled alongside us. The driver got out of the vehicle and said, “you look like you need a ride. Where can I take you?” I protested, hesitant to load our wet animals into his beautiful SUV. He told me trucks can be cleaned, “get in and we’ll sort this out together.” After about three hours, a change in vehicle (more kind strangers with a jacked-up Dodge pickup truck) and a few phone calls, we were safe and warm at the home of a coworker. Now we could assess our situation and make our plan.

God rescued us that afternoon. He sent that man and his daughter in the black Cadillac to pluck us off the street and escort us to safety. It’s that simple. As sure as my heart beats and my fingers tap this keyboard, I know without a doubt that the events of that Monday afternoon were the work of our loving and rescuing God.

But it doesn’t end with His rescue. There is a tradeoff here. “I shall rescue you and you will honor Me.” My gosh, how will I do that? As I ponder this, I think back to the words of the kind volunteer in the black Cadillac Escalade:

“Get in and we’ll sort this out together.”

Of course, that’s not Scripture, but his words remind me that God is walking with me through this life. He doesn’t leave me to sort this out on my own. God is interested, He has a plan for my life, and when I seek His will through Scripture and prayer, He guides my footsteps. He shows me my strengths and my weaknesses. He helps me sort this out. I started this blog, workisministry.com, as one way of honoring Him. This was His idea, conveyed to me in a moment of prayerful contemplation (See About workiministry.com). I can honor Him by seeking opportunities to serve others. I can honor Him with my words, my attitude, and my conduct. I can honor Him by striving to be salt and light to the world around me. There are plethora of ways I can honor my Lord.

You know, we all need to be rescued. Our greatest need for rescue comes from the condemnation we deserve as the consequence for our sins. Paul writes, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23). Here is the good news: God has already executed our rescue from sin. Just this past weekend, we celebrated the greatest Sacrifice in history as Jesus gave His life on the cross on Good Friday. Then, Sunday morning, we celebrated the greatest Victory in history as He rose from the dead on the third day, just as He said He would. Indeed, our greatest need for rescue has already been met. All we have to do is believe.

God cares about what happens in your daily life. He cares about what’s happening at work, at home, wherever you might be and whatever situation you may encounter. Sometimes it may seem that He is nowhere to be found, but He is there. Sometimes it may seem that He doesn’t hear our prayers for rescue, but He does. What He promises here, in this succinct little verse, is to hear us when we call and to rescue us from our trouble. Seek Him. Call upon Him. Know that He is God. His ways are not our ways. The rescue may take longer than you’d like and it may come in a way that you did not envision – perhaps in the form of a kind stranger in a black Cadillac – but it will come. It will come.

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019

Be Still…

3:05 AM and I’m wide awake. Any of us who work in corporate America experience times like this – times when the whirlwind is fierce, activity abounds and time is demanded, even more time than we seem to have. So, in the wee hours of the morning before the sun comes up, my mind is racing as I lay in bed. I’m thinking of two emails in particular that need to be addressed. I get up, make a pot of coffee and carry my work laptop up to my office. But, before I power it up I open my Bible for my morning reading and this is what God gave me:

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

Talk about an injection of healthy perspective! God reminded me this morning that He is the One of utmost importance. And as I read my Bible I kept coming back to this verse. “Be still…”

People often quote the first part of this verse and forget the second. As I ponder those words I’m reminded that God is why I’m here. This creation is His, my life is His, my work is His… No matter what the whirlwind may bring my way, I will rest in calm knowing that God is right here with me.

So – that is what I have to offer this morning. I know this is short and (hopefully) sweet, but I couldn’t start my work without sharing this. No matter how busy I am, I must always take time to be still, go to God’s Word, ponder what He has to say and give the whirlwind up in prayer. Having done that, I am best equipped to take on all this day is going to bring. Christian business man/woman, if you’re not taking time each day to “be still and know that He is God” you’re missing out on a beautiful relationship.

Now – time to take on that whirlwind!

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019

The Peace of the Evening

I don’t know about you, but I often have those evenings in which my body is so physically tired I can barely keep my eyes open as I sit on the couch trying to concentrate on the TV. I finally give in and announce to my wife, “I’m going to bed,” only to lie down and have my mind begin racing over the events of the day and the work of the day to come. As my  mind races, it shifts to thoughts of financial security, the welfare of my kids, did I feed the dogs, are the doors locked… Oh, be quiet already! I just want to sleep! Have you experienced evenings like this?

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.”

Psalm 4:8 NASB

I remember the very first time I read this Psalm. I was a freshman at Concordia Austin in the fall of 1980. A group of us were talking at an evening chapel service about all of the studying we had to do, the difficulties of learning Latin, and various other stresses that college students face. A classmate opened his Bible and read this psalm to us, and it was as if the door opened wide and the light shined bright.

King David wrote this psalm. If you’ve done much study on David, you know he had a lot going on in his life. He was king of Israel. He was a sinner, and he knew it. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, then arranged for her husband’s death to try and hide his sin. He had rivals seeking to take his life. David, as imperfect as he was, knew that he could take solace and comfort in the arms of his Lord. That is what this psalm is all about. And it applies as much to us today as it did to David when he first wrote it under the inspiration of God Himself.

I recently wrote about the quiet of the morning, and how my morning time in Scripture with God is my favorite time of the day. Evening has the potential to also be a time of quiet; a time to settle down, to calm the mind, and to meditate and pray over the events of life. David writes earlier in this psalm, “Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.” (Ps 8:4b) Do you take time each evening for a closing moment with God? I confess – I don’t. And I’m reminded as I re-read this psalm how important it is to do just that. You see, my problem is I wait until I have physically exhausted myself before going to bed but I do nothing to prepare my mind for sleep. It’s almost as if my mind is saying, “what about me? I’m not tired yet!”

This week I’m going to try something new. I’m going to try taking a few moments after I’ve hit the sack to read this psalm again, meditate on God’s message, and dedicate the night’s sleep to Him. I believe that there can be peace in the evening, the source of which is in God’s Word.

Soli DEO Gloria!

Image credit: YouVersion Bible App

(c) workisministry.com 2019