ENJOY GOD’S GIFT OF WORK

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:9-14

From the time I was a small child, I had a desire to be a nurse – not just any nurse, but an OR [Operating Room] nurse. I pursued that career, and, except for about six years, spent my entire adult life working at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in various capacities in either the main operating room or outpatient surgery center.

Solomon writes:

            What profit is there for the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen

the task which God has given to the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

…I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long

as they live; and also that every man should eat and drink and see and enjoy the

            good of all his labor – it is the gift of God [Eccl 3: 9-10, 12-13, Amplified Bible].

For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed what I did (of course, there was the occasional difficult coworker or obnoxious surgeon or sad outcome or diagnosis). But I loved working with the kids and their parents; I loved being a part of the surgical teams; and I loved the technical aspect and opportunity to work with my hands.

He has made everything…appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity

            (a sense of divine purpose) in the human heart [vs 11a].

There is nothing quite so rewarding as having worked hard at a job that you love because the Lord gave it to you to do as part of your divine purpose in His Kingdom. To know that, at the end of the day, I have helped or influenced someone (be it a patient, a parent, a coworker) for the Lord in a way that they see that I know Jesus, is truly a gift from God.

Now that I am retired, I am enjoying God’s “reassignment” of my time to work in ministry He calls me to today. He has not put me on a shelf as if I have no further use – I have a task yet to do for which I can “rejoice and do good as long as I live.”

I pray that you are enjoying God’s gift of work He has given you, or if you are still seeking where you are to serve through your work, that God will reveal that to you in His time.

HEARER IN THE MIRROR

Reading: James 1:22-25

“Prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers.” James admonishes the readers of his letter (James 1:22).  He continues with an illustration. For if someone is only a hearer and not a doer, James likens him to a person who looks in a mirror but continues “on with whatever he was doing without the slightest recollection of what sort of person he saw in the mirror (vs 24, Phillips).”

Essentially, it is like letting words go in one ear and out the other. I am reminded of when one of my responsibilities as a nurse was to orient new staff to their duties in the Operating Room. I would tell and demonstrate how to do a particular skill. The orientees may nod that they heard what I said, and continue doing it an incorrect way. I would probably conclude they weren’t listening. So, how would I know if they actually heard and understood what I told them? I would be able to observe that they actually could do what I had shown them. They were now doers and not just hearers.

In the same way, James urges us to look in the mirror of God’s perfect law and abide by it (that is, do it) – don’t be a forgetful hearer but an “effectual (be successful in producing a desired result) doer (vs 25, NASB).”

While being an “effectual doer” in the Operating Room is extremely important for the physical welfare of patients, what James is warning us about is essential to our spiritual lives… And the benefit? We will be blessed in what we do (vs 25). I want that, don’t you?

Help me, Lord, to be more that a listener or a reader of Your Word – I want to be a doer of Your Word. Help me walk in obedience to You and what You want for my life. Amen.

WISE OR FOOLISH?

Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 18-25

 

 

Where is the wise [discerning, enlightened, learned] man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish [uninformed, devoid of good sense or judgment] the wisdom of the world? [1 Cor 1: 20]

 

As a nurse in the Operating Room, I often had opportunities to talk with surgeons about more than medical issues. One Ophthalmologist [I’ll call him “Dr Eyemann”] was very knowledgeable about his specialty. I loved how he could explain the anatomy of the eye and the various surgical procedures used to correct problems. Dr Eyemann was an outstanding surgeon technically as well. He was also well-read about many other subjects. By all worldly measure, he had a lot of wisdom. He was worldly wise, but by God’s standard, this brilliant surgeon was foolish. Dr Eyemann loved to get into philosophical/theological discussions with staff. He would bring up many topics, often in a controversial way, because he was trying constantly to refute things that didn’t make sense to him in human terms.

 

This worldly-wise ophthalmologist couldn’t see the truth—he was blind to anything beyond human wisdom.

 

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe [vs 21].

 

Thank you, Lord, that through Your “foolishness” it pleases you to save those who see and believe. And I pray for Dr Eyemann and all who rely on their own “wisdom” for understanding of your ways—open them to your wiser ways. “For the foolishness of [You] is wiser that human wisdom [vs 25a].” Amen.