June 10 - Serving the Lord

 Read today’s texts first: Songs of Solomon 1-4; Ephesians 6

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

When what we do is for the Lord,
every task in our day takes on significance. 

The closing words of Ephesians summarizes our calling as believers:  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (6:7). The word “vocation” (4:1 KJV) refers to a calling (same root as “vocal”). It can apply to any career, from presidents to pastors to party planners to pipe-fitters. Because you are working for God, not just men, your duties go far beyond planning parties or fitting pipes. You are on assignment as a representative of God and His Kingdom wherever and with whomever you work!

When we choose to live a life worthy of the calling you’ve received (4:1 NIV) we will experience the promises that fill this God-inspired letter. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, chosen to be holy and blameless, predestined to be adopted, redeemed by His blood, forgiven, lavished with grace, given wisdom and understanding, made aware of the mystery of his will, chosen according to his plan, and marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit - and that’s just the first half of chapter one.

I love my job. It’s very different from my work during the previous 40 years, but it feels as meaningful as anything I’ve ever done. When what we do is for the Lord, every task in our day takes on significance. Our life stands in stark contrast to the meaninglessness of a life lived without God, described by Solomon in the book we just finished. When we serve God instead of men, He gets involved in our daily routine. The ordinary takes on extraordinary proportions.

Recently we had one of those moments. A woman was sent to our facility from a hospital without any family history that we could confirm. While her words sounded coherent, her medical condition made it difficult for her and for us to separate the truth from her imagination. After prayer with her and each other, a random person walked in, for a completely unrelated reason. “Coincidentally” while touring our facility, she saw the woman and exclaimed, “that's my sister!” These miraculous moments happen often when we work for God!

“Lord, I love working for You. You are my Lord, my God, and my Boss!”

June 9 - Empty Words

 Read today’s texts first: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalms 94; Ephesians 5

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

“A fool is consumed by his own lips. At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness!”

All three of our readings today agree on the power of words, for good or for bad. I just had several significant conversations on the job with residents and their family members. What I read this morning changed the way I handled those moments, and they were no doubt better because I held back my words.

I tend to under-listen and over-talk. I know we have two ears and one mouth for a reason, but when I get caught up in an engaging discussion, I usually jump in with both feet - firmly planted in my mouth. Afterwards, I often regret my empty words and wish I could be more like Kwai Chang Caine of the classic 70’s show, Kung Fu.  Kwai didn’t talk much, but when he did he was like E.F. Hutton (with a half-Chinese accent) - people listened!

Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness - and the fool multiplies words (10:12-14).

How long will the wicked, O Lord, how long will the wicked be jubilant? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers are full of boasting. They crush your people, O Lord; they oppress your inheritance (94:3-5).

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.... Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (5:6,7,19-20).

These are wise words about wise words. “Lord, may I speak less and listen more, especially to You. When I finally do talk, may I speak Your wise words, not my own foolishness.”

June 8 The Purposeless Undriven Life

 Read today’s texts first: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
The hope of heaven gives us eternal perspective
and unwavering purpose!

My apologies to Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven Life resources, but we can be sure they don’t contain references to Ecclesiastes. Ephesians maybe - in fact definitely! Reading the two books at the same time offers startling, almost laughable, contrasts. Ephesians inspires us with lofty, soaring images of the church ruling in power side-by-side with our conquering hero, Jesus. Ecclesiastes brings us down with the depressing realities of life on this sin-polluted planet. Both are inspired by God, and the contrast is intentional. The two books together help us understand the difference between a purpose-driven and a purposeless “undriven” life, if there is such a word!

Today’s reading in Ecclesiastes includes one of its more encouraging passages (I speak facetiously): Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun - all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom (9:9,10). I found the perfect Scripture passage to include in my upcoming anniversary card to Jan - not!

Compare the meaninglessness of that passage with the opening verse of our reading in Ephesians: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (5:1). Paul, imprisoned in Rome while writing to the church in Ephesus, still finds purpose in his days. No matter what Paul went through - prison, beatings, stonings, you name it - he stayed focused on the assignment Jesus Himself gave him on the road to Damascus.

What is the difference then between the hope level in these two books? I believe it comes down to the difference between a temporal and eternal perspective. Solomon is writing about the futility of this life on earth - period. There is little thought given to rewards beyond what the world can offer. Paul, though, because he had so little to hang on to in this world, was reaching into the future with Jesus and it changes the way we live right now. “Lord, the hope of heaven inspires me to live every day left on planet earth with an eternal perspective and unwavering purpose!”

June 7 To Know His Love

 Read today’s texts first: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalms 18; Ephesians 3

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
Having an eternal perspective becomes possible when the Spirit of God takes up residence in our hearts.

Again, the pessimism in Solomon’s words is almost laughable to an optimist like me: I concluded that the dead are better off than the living. And most fortunate of all are those who were never born. For they have never seen all the evil that is done in our world (4:2,3). This may be the source of the ultimate fighting words: “you’ll wish you had never been born!” As depressing as it may sound, that sentiment is shared by many in our day, almost 3,000 years later. We often hear married couples today say, almost nobly, they’ve decided not to bring children into this troubled world.

Contrast these dark words with the soaring brilliance of our Ephesians passage today: May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope (3:19,20).

The difference between the two? Jesus! Solomon alluded to “eternity in our hearts” (3:11), but that eternal perspective wasn’t fully possible until the Spirit of God took up residence in our hearts. Now, despite the evil still present in our world, we now have the upper hand, and so do our children! When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit (3:14-16).

Knowing now how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is (3:18), my natural optimism has been infused with supernatural faith! “Lord, Your love has given me confidence to overcome the evil around me, and the hope that my children and grand kids can do the same.”

June 6 - Eternity In Our Hearts

 Read today’s texts first: Ecclesiastes 1-3; Psalms 45; Ephesians 2

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 As in “The Matrix,” the truth only becomes clear when
we swallow the red pill (believe in the blood of Jesus). 

As an irrepressible optimist, I find the book of Ecclesiastes fascinating. It is so dark and depressing. Everything is meaningless, utterly meaningless! Nothing is new, history repeats itself,  life is just a vicious cycle of pointless activity, chasing after the wind. Some have called Ecclesiastes “the inspired book of error” because it reflects the futility of a life without God. 

But it ends beautifully and powerfully, like a symphony of clashing chords resolving in its final crescendo:  The conclusion, when all has been heard, is - fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person (12:13). Life without the Source of Life is indeed meaningless, but with Him, every moment takes on eternal significance.

There are other excerpts from the book which hint at the final conclusion. God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end (3:11). I believe all of us walking through the mundanity of life have moments when we suspect there must be something more. Like the movie, “The Matrix,” the truth only becomes clear when we swallow the red pill, or in my metaphor, realize the blood of Christ applies to us. When we are born again into His Kingdom, Zion, we suddenly see life, real life, from His perspective.

Eternity is awakened in our hearts and everything begins to take on new meaning. We certainly don’t know everything (1 Cor. 13:12 says we are only seeing the reflection of a darkened mirror), but there is a constant awareness of God at work, as in our other two readings. We begin to feel like a king, the most excellent of men and [our] lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed [us] forever (Psa. 45:2). We get the sense we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10).

For me, life is the opposite of what is described in most of Ecclesiastes. “Lord, thank You for this promise: Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus (2:4-7).”

June 5 - The Virtuous Woman

 Read today’s texts first: Proverbs 30,31; Psalms 33; Ephesians 1

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY
For those who still believe women shouldn’t be involved in business, church leadership or teaching, both the
Old and New Testaments say you’re wrong! 

After yesterday’s comments on women leaders it’s only fitting to reflect on the Proverbs 31 woman.

The Bible stands alone among ancient writings in its affirmation of women. This is remarkable considering how women were generally devalued during that time in history, especially among middle eastern cultures. Within many of the nations surrounding Israel, women continue to be disrespected, even oppressed. Not so in this beautiful poetic passage.

The virtuous woman is the backbone of her family, bringing support and success to her husband (11,12,23), and tirelessly clothing, feeding, and caring for her children (13-15,21,27,28). Taking care of one’s family is the most noble assignment a person can have. During these past few years, I found as much (maybe more) fulfillment helping my children with their businesses and caring for my grand kids than I ever did leading a college or a church. No one should be apologetic to say their career is being a wife and mother, or husband and father for that matter.

But her work goes beyond these domestic responsibilities. This woman is shrewd in business (16-18,24), generous to the poor and needy (20), and known for her wise instruction (26). For those who still believe women shouldn’t be involved in business, church leadership, or teaching, both the Old and New Testaments say you’re wrong!

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate (30,31). “Lord, I am grateful that You helped me find such a virtuous woman and that we are just 24 days away from celebrating 51 blessed years together!”

June 4 - Paul and Women Leaders

 Read today’s texts first: Proverbs 28,29; Psalms 60; Romans 16

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
 We believe in woman leaders for one reason - God does! 

When I was being interviewed for this job, I was asked how I felt about women leaders. This was a pertinent question as I would be working with a woman chaplain. The answer was easy – it’s a non-issue! I say that not because I’m part of a denomination founded by a woman, nor because it’s the politically correct answer. I’m not a feminist; in fact I believe the agenda to make women the same as men misrepresents women. It certainly misrepresents God, the one who uniquely designed us as male and female. The truth is, I believe in woman leaders for one reason - God does!

Reformers who misunderstand God’s sovereignty because of Romans 9 (ignoring the counterbalance on free will in the next five chapters), also struggle with endorsing women leaders because of two passages in Paul’s writings - 1 Corinthians 14:34,35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-15. They fail to note the specific context of these two letters, the first addressing women disrupting public services, and the second, women spreading the teachings of false prophets. If the context isn’t obvious enough, then our reading in Romans today should convince everyone that Paul, and the Holy Spirit who inspired him, believed in women leaders.

Paul mentions women who worked with him, evangelized with him, taught with him, and led with him ten times in this one short salutation. They include Phoebe, a Deacon (vs. 1,2 - those who think pastors can’t be women because of 1 Tim. 3:2, “husband of one wife”, need to read 3:12 - the same was said of deacons); Priscilla, a church planter and teacher (vs. 3,4); and Junia, an apostle (check it out - v. 7). Women often responded to the gospel first as Paul went from town to town, and he was smart enough to know that if God was calling them to serve and lead in the church, that was good enough for him.

Paul said it best: watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them (v. 17). “Lord, Your Word is clear and I pray that I would never put obstacles in the way of those You are calling to serve through leadership, Jew or Gentile, male or female, old or young” (Acts 2:17,18; Gal. 3:28).