My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste; Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 24:13-14 NAS)
Honey is known to provide many benefits. Besides being a natural sweetener, it is said to offer antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health, according to an article at Benefits-of-Honey.com. For thousands of years, its healing attributes have been used to cure ailments and diseases as well as correct health disorders. Honey is nature’s energy booster, a natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies. It is known for instantly boosting performance, endurance, and reducing muscle fatigue. Unlike refined sugar, it keeps the body’s sugar levels somewhat constant because the fructose in honey is absorbed at a slower rate to give sustained energy.
Some possible effective healing properties of honey mentioned in an article at WebMD.com on Find a Vitamin and Supplement include promoting the healing of cough, wound healing and burns. Taking a small amount of honey at bedtime helps reduce the number of coughing spells, especially in children age 2 and older. Several clinical trials and case reports indicate the use of honey or honey-soaked dressings for certain types of wounds, abrasions, burns, cuts, among others.
Honey, however, is not for everybody. Even though it is natural, for dieters or people with diabetes, honey is no better than ordinary white or brown sugar. This is according to dietitian Toby Smithson, RD, CDE, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and founder of the web site, Diabetes Everyday, cited in an article ‘Medicinal Uses of Honey’ by Julie Edgar at WebMD.com.
Like honey that is sweet to the taste, the Bible describes the words of God as sweeter than honey to our mouths (Psalm 119:103). It is like wisdom which is good for the soul; if we find it, then there will be a future for us, and our hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 24:13-14). Just as honey yields many benefits, so it is with God’s word and wisdom. By studying the word of God, we gain wisdom, and in so doing, we receive strength and spiritual health. Like nature’s energy booster, we who hope in the LORD will gain new strength, mounting up with wings like eagles, run and not get tired, walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:31).
Not all of us who have tasted the kindness of the Lord however will grow in respect to salvation, if we fail to put aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander (1 Peter 2:1-3). Just as honey is harmful to dieters or people with diabetes, so food gained by fraud although may taste sweet, the end is a mouth full of gravel (Proverbs 20:17). Stolen water may taste sweet and food eaten in secret pleasant, but little do we know we are dining alongside the dead, those who are destined for the depths of hell (Proverbs 9:17-18).
Let us therefore diligently in all wisdom study the word of God that we may regain our spiritual health and experience the sweet taste of God’s lovingkindness. Put away dishonest gains which although may taste sweet for a moment, but its end shall be like the venom of cobras within our stomachs (Job 20:12-14). Even though we may not be an overseer or a leader in the faith, as followers of Christ, we are all entrusted with God’s work, and should therefore remain blameless and not pursue after sordid gain (Titus 1:7). Take control of our future now and forsake our sinful nature that our hope in Christ may not be cut off (Proverbs 24:14)!
Dear Lord, thank You for granting us wisdom through the study of Your word. Your word O God is sweet to our taste, sweeter than honey to our mouths! Guide us therefore Lord in Your word by Your Spirit that we may not waver nor seek dishonest gain, but diligently pursue wisdom and put aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Grant healing from all our health disorders Lord, both physically and spiritually, that we may with renewed strength run and not get tired, walk and not become weary.
You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink. For the LORD your God has blessed you in all that you have done; (Deuteronomy 2:6-7a NAS)
“Working at grocery stores is a great way for young adults and adults to form relationships, improve resumes and work experience,” said Tom Harrington, a 22-year-old college student, in his article at Voices.Yahoo.com. “When I turned eighteen years old, I applied for a position at a nearby grocery store. The grocery store had all the major departments—grocery, bakery, deli, frozen, dairy—and was conveniently located on one of the major highways in Massachusetts.”
“When I began working at the grocery store, I was first trained, being required to complete a computer program on general grocery store knowledge,” said Harrington. “Overall, I was satisfied with the grocery store.”
In less than two years after he resigned from the grocery store to dedicate his time and energy to studying for school, Harrington was back working in another grocery store. The new grocery store was extremely supportive of his working abilities and promoted him within four months from being a cashier to a customer service clerk.
“As anyone knows, listing ‘grocery store – customer service clerk’ looks great on any resume and I was gracious and thankful for being promoted,” said Harrington. “The best advantage of working at a grocery store is that I am constantly aware of all the sales and promotions.”
Like Harrington who used to serve customers at the grocery stores, back in the days of Moses, the sons of Esau living in Seir were also serving their customers. The children of Israel wandering in the wilderness were commanded by the LORD to buy food and water from them. They were to pay to the sons of Esau money for their purchases because the LORD has blessed them in all they have done. Throughout the forty years of wanderings, the LORD has been with them, and they have not lacked a thing (Deuteronomy 2:4-7).
Today, Harrington finally found what he likes to do best—writing for Yahoo! associated content and sports. It took him several years working at the grocery stores before he discovered his niche, yet during the time of his ‘wanderings’ he did not neglect to do his best.
What about us? Are we doing our very best amid our wanderings even before discovering the eventual direction of the Lord for us? Are we forming relationships with the people around us, including the ones we serve, so as to win some souls for the Lord? Are we aware that our experiences in life, the journeys we have taken and are taking, help build us up in character to add to our resume something of far greater value than our self-worth (Matthew 6:19-20)? When called to serve the Lord, are we always looking out for the best deals and advantages we can get before committing to the work?
Do we not know that our God is not unjust as to forget our work and the love we have shown toward His name (Hebrews 6:10a)? God is not blind that He cannot see; He knows what is done in secret and will reward us accordingly (Matthew 6:18). We ought therefore to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, having been trained to accurately handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Whether we are serving as a staff at the grocery store, a minister reaching out to the world, or a worker of whatever we are doing, let us do our very best, as for the Lord rather than for men. Remember, it is the Lord Christ whom we serve and from Him we will receive the reward of the inheritance (Colossians 3:23-24).
Dear Lord, thank You for always looking after us and caring for our needs that we have not lacked anything. We are forever grateful and thankful to You Lord because in our wanderings we can completely put our trust in You. Help us Lord not become slack in what we do, but to do all things heartily knowing that it is You whom we serve. You O God are not unjust as to forget our work and the love we have shown toward Your name, for You see what we do in secret and reward us accordingly.
I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet. (Luke 14:24 NIV)
I read in an article recently of a place in South Korea where diners can immerse themselves to a great banquet. Every day 17 cooks prepare around 70 dishes from the royal menu, and diners get to taste and experience the dinner fit for a king.
The expression ‘a dinner fit for a king’ in South Korea has a codified meaning passed down orally for generations. According to Sonny Antunes who wrote the article ‘A Royal Banquet in South Korea’ at FineDiningLovers.com, it refers to a dinner that follows specific rules of etiquette. Such grand dining which was once limited only to members of the royal family and their guests is now available to anyone who lives in or visits Seoul.
Unlike the royal banquet of South Korea which today can be experienced by all, Jesus shared in a parable about a banquet that not everyone invited will get to taste or experience. A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to call the invited guests to come, but all of them began to make excuses. Then the master told his servant to go out into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame (Luke 14:16-24).
All of us know that when we are invited to a wedding banquet, it is a basic courtesy for us to respond early, especially if we are unable to turn up. RSVP or ‘répondez s'il vous plait’ in French means ‘please reply’ in colloquial English, which is an etiquette we should all respond to as invited guests. Even if the invitation does not state the need to RSVP, it is still polite to do so, but not in the case when the invitation is from God to receive His salvation!
As followers of Christ, we are called to represent God in inviting the yet unsaved to return to Him, but not everyone who are invited will get to taste of His salvation. RSVP in such a case is a danger, for no one knows when death comes knocking on the door (Luke 12:20). Our task therefore is to bring whoever would receive Him and His salvation, not just the ones whom we think are ready or are good enough. Sinners or saints, everyone on earth needs the salvation of the Lord.
Are we doing our part in inviting the unbelievers to the Lord? Are we helping our loved ones and the people around us to taste and see the goodness of our God? Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him and who will get to partake at the feast in the kingdom of God. For the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast for His peoples—a banquet of fine dining—and all who believe in Him will dine with Him at the wedding supper of the Lamb (Psalm 34:8; Isaiah 25:6; Luke 14:15; Revelation 19:9).
Dear Lord, thank You for receiving us, not just as guests, but as partakers at Your table. We know Lord that not all who are invited will get to experience Your salvation. Help us therefore Lord not to easily give up sharing the gospel to the unsaved or be deterred by their excuses, for such is a decision between life and death. Do not permit us to limit our scope in selecting the people to be saved Lord, but lead us by Your Spirit as to what we shall say in accordance to Your word and guidance.
"Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. (Daniel 1:12 NLT)
According to an article at HealthyForms.com, one of the most important things we can do to help our overall health is to maintain a healthy diet. Eating a wide variety of foods is one of the best ways to help our bodies get the nutrition we need each day. A healthy diet should emphasize plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and added sugars should be avoided.
Dieting offers many benefits and ensures good health if done properly and for a good reason. A healthy diet helps prevent buildup in our arteries and blood vessels, and reduce our risk of acquiring health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
"I think I was at a spot where I was mentally prepared and wanting to do stuff," said Dawn who lost 35 pounds over a year on a healthy-weight program, sharing her dieting experience at WebMD.com. "I've been on the American Heart Association Diet. I've been on the diabetic diet. I've been on South Beach. I've had success in the past. But I needed something that was going to work and stay with me."
Over the years, Dawn followed many different weight-loss plans. Each plan worked for a while, but eventually she would go back to her old eating habits and her weight would go back up. She says that with dieting "There is a mindset that this is a diet. And when I get to my goal weight, then I don't have to do the diet anymore." So when her employer decided to offer a yearlong healthy-weight program that focused on making lasting changes, Dawn was eager to try it.
Among the first things Dawn learned from the program was setting realistic goals that she could turn into long-term habits. She identified small changes she could make, such as eating an apple instead of a doughnut for a morning snack. Then she would try that strategy for a week and if it was something easy to do, she would add it to her list of healthy eating habits. If it didn't work well for her, she would try another type of healthy eating change the next week.
Back in the days when the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families were brought to Babylon as captives, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given by the king, so he asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat the unacceptable foods (Daniel 1:1, 5, 8).
“Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see” (Daniel 1:12-13).
Daniel went on a diet for a good reason. He did it out of obedience to the law of God so as not to defile himself eating the food considered unclean. What about us? If we are dieting, is it for a good reason that we are doing it? Is it to keep ourselves healthy or is it to look good? If we are dieting for the wrong reasons or because we are in a state of emotional turmoil or stressed in life, dieting can lead to eating disorders.
While food is made for the stomach and the stomach for food, we ought to know that our bodies are made for the Lord—the temple of the Holy Spirit. What we eat and drink or do to our bodies should therefore be determined by the purpose because we do not belong to ourselves but to God, and the Lord cares about our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:13, 19-20).
Dear Lord, forgive us for sometimes neglecting to care for our own health. We know Lord our bodies is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and for this reason we ought not to defile our bodies. Help us Lord to be careful with our diet that we may stay healthy to do Your work. Keep us strong Lord that whether in sickness or in health, we will do whatever is necessary to present our very best to You.
How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103 NAS)
Some of us probably already know that besides the four basic tastes of sweet, sour, bitter and salty, is a fifth—umami. Umami is the Japanese word for delicious flavor, considered by some as the strong savory taste associated with meats and other rich or high-protein foods.
Among the many foods said to provide the umami taste are duck and other poultry, aged beef, venison, eggs, aged cheese, fish and shellfish, tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus and walnuts. Ingredients that can be used to add the umami taste to dishes include dried seaweed, freshly grated parmesan cheese, mushrooms such as dried shiitake, sundried tomatoes and tomato paste.
Not all foods that provide the umami taste however are healthy, but what makes umami so special to the health-conscious cooks is its ability to enhance flavors. Since there is no need to use much of such ingredients to get the taste, it can be used to boost flavor while reducing fat and salt in recipes. This is according to Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. who wrote ‘When you crave a savory taste, you want umami’ at the Nutrition-wise blog of MayoClinic.com.
Like umami which adds savory to the taste in enhancing flavors, if we set aside time each day to savor the sweetness of God’s word, we will also get to taste the goodness of our Lord. The psalmist said, “O taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8). “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).
Have we been missing out in savoring the word of God? If we have, we are missing out a lot more than we think. For the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). It is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Are we equipped for God’s work?
Some of us may think there is no need for us to be equipped for God’s work so long as we are serving Him in Christian ministries. Others may feel that because we are neither teachers nor ministers, there is no need to be equipped. None of these thoughts or feelings however is correct because if we do not equip ourselves with the word of God, how shall we be able to defend ourselves against the enemies?
Jesus, when He was tempted by the devil, used the Scripture to defend Himself (Matthew 4:7, 10). What about us? Do we know enough of God’s word to defend ourselves? For unlike the many different foods and ingredients that can provide the umami taste, there is only one way to understand God’s precepts for us to savor the taste that is sweeter than honey—the word of God. If we therefore hope to get a boost in our spiritual lives while reducing our mistakes and wrongdoings, then we must not neglect to study the word of God so as to live a Spirit-filled life in Christ.
Thank You dear Lord for giving us Your word. Your word O Lord is our delight for it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Guide us Lord by Your word in all we do that we may taste of Your goodness and be blessed. Renew in us Lord the desire to learn from Your word daily that we may be adequate and equipped for every good work.
And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. (Acts 2:44 NLT)
Guests at potluck dinners usually feel very blessed when they open a pot of food because cooks tend to serve their best. This is according to Becky Wright who wrote the article ‘Story Potluck Entertains with Mouthwatering Tales’ at Go.Standard.Net. Wright mentioned in her article that guests at the Story Potluck are twice as blessed because they get to taste a variety of foods and hear stories related to the recipes. The Story Potluck is a fundraiser for The Road Home, a Salt Lake City agency that helps the homeless.
"I really think the project is such a great idea because food and stories go hand in hand,” said Wright. “It's the way we pass on our traditions, and for all of our favorite recipes there are memories and stories to go along with them. The fact that it all goes to such a good cause is really another draw."
Each recipe submitted to the fund raiser is accompanied by the story of how the dish came to be special to the person submitting it. The top recipes, along with their stories, are published in a printed cookbook as well as an e-book. The book’s debut is a community meal to benefit one of Utah’s homeless services providers. Winning entrants are invited to attend the annually held event to prepare their recipe and then perform the accompanying story in the after-dinner program.
Back in the days of the New Testament, something similar to potluck was also practiced by the believers of Christ. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity. All the believers shared everything they had and were united in heart and mind, and all of them felt what they owned was not their own (Acts 2:44-46; 4:32).
Like the charity event organized by the Story Potluck and the sharing of meals by the believers of old, do we also share generously to help the needy? Some of us, no doubt, may be struggling to make ends meet, let alone consider giving to the poor. Yet, do we have in our hearts the willingness to give of ourselves to help those who have greater needs than our own? We know the story of the poor widow who gave out of her poverty the two very small copper coins (Mark 12:42-44; Luke 21:2-4). Do we care enough to give a hand to help someone get back on his or her feet?
As believers in the Lord, we should not value the things of this world as something to hold to or keep. Instead, each of us should decide in our heart how much to give, not reluctantly or in response to pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver. He will generously provide all our needs that we will always have enough and plenty left over to share with others (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
Dear Lord, thank You for always blessing us and meeting our needs. We know Lord that all good things come from You and of Your own do we share them with those in need. Help us therefore Lord to give willingly to the homeless and the poor, and to those who need help more than us even amid our own struggles. We claim upon Your promise O Lord that in giving cheerfully, we will always be blessed with everything we need. Whether in the sharing of food with others or in the raising of funds to help the poor Lord, teach us to do our very best with one mind and heart in performing the accompanying part.
When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; and Esau said to Jacob, "Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom. (Genesis 25:29-30 NAS)
“Before I became a food writer for The New York Times, the kitchen was where I found confidence—and took care of my family,” wrote Mark Bittman in an excerpt published at Salon.com on how cooking gave him purpose. “Parenthood and the necessities of daily life taught me, as they have billions of others, to cook. And while I was learning to cook, I learned to work.”
“I was self-taught (that is, book-learned) in cooking—as I was in many other things—but I picked it up pretty quickly once I began; it isn’t, after all, very difficult,” Bittman continued. “I lived in an apartment with a kitchen my sophomore year. My roommate worked weekends as a short-order cook. We took the rack out of the oven, put it over the range, and invented gas grilling. This nearly destroyed the stove, of course, but it was a rental and we were spoiled, inconsiderate eighteen-year-olds.”
“It took a few more years until I realized that there was something about cooking that appealed to me,” Bittman wrote. “I didn’t know what it was then, but I do know now: along with child rearing, it gave me a sense of competence that I’d never had before. I had been a terrible student, and in fact I didn’t appear to be good at much of anything. I had been a cab driver, a trucker, an electrician’s gofer, a substitute teacher, and a traveling salesman. I was now married, with a newborn child. My lifelong sense that I would ‘become’ a writer wasn’t working out. So I became a cook.”
Like Bittman who discovered his purpose in cooking, the Bible mentioned a man who must have been quite good at what he was doing in the kitchen to have his brother willingly give up his birthright for a meal (Genesis 25:29-34). Now, who was to blame for Esau’s loss of birthright—the cook or the consumer? Esau was known to be an immoral and godless person who sold his own birthright for a single meal (Hebrews 12:16). For him, filling his stomach and satisfying his appetite were all there were to it, but for his brother Jacob, it was the first step to fulfilling the will of God (Genesis 25:23).
Just as Bittman and Jacob knew their purpose in the kitchen, we ought also to know our purpose in the will of the Lord. Upon discovering our talent—the gift God has given us—we should therefore work towards fulfilling our destiny according to His master plan for our lives. Instead of rebelling against God’s will and aimlessly pursue after earthly goals that do not last, we should allow the will of God to appeal to us, even if we are unsure or unclear at this time. Rather than do so many things or be someone we are not, let us seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all that we need will be added to us (Matthew 6:32-33).
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us talents that appeal and give meaning to our lives. We know Lord our talents are gifts from You, and we want to use these gifts for the glory of Your name. Help us Lord to discover in Your timing the purpose You have destined for us that we may not aimlessly pursue after things that do not last. In your will O Lord we will walk according to Your master plan for our lives. We will seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, because You Lord know our needs and will add to us all these things that are necessary to us.
Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, … and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, (Matthew 14:19 NAS)
Picnicking is one of the fun things many of us like to do as a family. According to Picnic-Basket.com, the perfect picnic is the result of careful planning to ensure everything is as much under control as possible. Four key areas to look at in making sure a picnic is as stress-free as it can be are people, location, food and equipment.‘People’ refers to who are the people going on the picnic, the age groups, the number of people going, and who to be responsible for transportation. Knowing and identifying all these will help provide ideas of the kind of place and activities needed.‘Location’ refers to picking a suitable place for the picnic, such as one near a play park if there are children or not too far from the car park if the ones going are elderly or mobility challenged.‘Food’ refers to planning the right menu for the picnic. Is there anyone in the picnic party who has food allergies? Are there tables at the proposed picnic venue or will all of them be sitting on the ground to eat? If there are tables, catering can be more adventurous. If the intention is to eat with a blanket on the ground, then finger food will make the picnic more relaxed.‘Equipment’ refers to taking enough flatware and silverware for each member going on the picnic, plus a couple of extra settings just in case. A large garbage bag for collecting all the scraps and empty packaging is important so that we can leave our picnic area the way we found it—or better.Much unlike the way we plan for a picnic, in the days when our Lord was still here on earth, His teachings and preaching brought with Him multitudes of people following. The picnic they had together was in a desolate place and few have enough food for themselves. When Jesus told His disciples to give the crowd something to eat, they said to Him they have with them only five loaves and two fish. Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, with no blanket to lay or picnic tables to sit, Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food. After breaking the loaves, He gave them to the disciples to feed the crowd, and they all ate and were satisfied (Matthew 14:13-21).What a contrast between the times of Jesus and the picnics we have today! While we diligently make plans for a gathering, whether it is for a picnic or a gospel event, we often do them without much thought of expecting the unexpected. Are we too careful with our plans that sometimes we forget what is more important—the reason for the get together? Do we in such gatherings find ways to express love for one another and share in common our love for Jesus, or are we too busy like Martha in preparing the essentials but not the most important (Luke 10:40-42)?Let us keep a check on ourselves the purpose of our gatherings and picnicking to do what is most important—the building of relationship with God and man. If we are picnicking with the helpless, we do fine in providing them food, not only for their physical well-being, but also the spiritual. Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34). What about us? Is our food to do the will of God?Dear Lord, thank You for setting an example for us to understand the purpose of our get together. We know Lord that while we enjoy picnicking, we need also to know the purpose behind such gatherings. Help us Lord to always show love one to another in bringing Your love to the world and be ready to expect the unexpected. Lead us Lord in coming up with new ways to reach out to those in need, that even through picnicking or other gatherings, in the sharing of food, we may touch and heal some souls. We love You Lord, and we want to share Your love with others too, for our food is to do Your will.
Seven Crucial Characteristics for Finishing Well
by Ken Boa
We sing the song, "I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back," but why is it that so many people do? There seems to be an epidemic of Christians who begin well but finish poorly. Let me share seven crucial characteristics that will help you to finish well.
1. Intimacy with Christ
Our highest calling is to grow in our knowledge of Christ and to make Him known to others. Does our desire to know Christ exceed all other aspirations? If not, whatever is taking His place in the center of our affections must yield to Him if we are to know the joy of bearing spiritual fruit. A key secret of those who finish well is to focus more on loving Jesus than on avoiding sin. The more we love Jesus, the more we will learn to put our confidence in Him alone.
2. Fidelity with Spiritual Discipline
Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fellowship, study, worship, and submission are not ends in themselves, but means to the end of intimacy with Christ and spiritual formation. When left to itself, however, any one of these disciplines tends to decline and decay. An infusion of directed intentionality and effort is necessary to sustain order and growth and to bring repeated times of personal renewal.
3. A Biblical Perspective on the Circumstances of Life
Part of the purpose of our suffering and trials is to drive us to dependence on God alone. God responds by revealing more of Himself to us. This knowledge increases our faith and our capacity to trust His character and His promises through the times we do not understand His purposes and His ways. When we view our circumstances in light of God's character instead of God's character in light of our circumstances, we come to see that God is never indifferent to us, and that He uses suffering for our good so we will be more fully united to Christ.
4. A Teachable, Responsive, Humble and Obedient Spirit
Those who finish well maintain an ongoing learning posture through the seasons of their lives. Humility and responsive obedience are the keys to maintaining a teachable spirit. Humility is the disposition in which we displace self through the enthronement of Christ in our lives and realize that all of life is about trust in God. Obedience is the application of biblical faith in that which is not seen, and that which is not yet. As we mature in Christ, we learn to trust God's character and promises in spite of ambiguity or trials.
5. A Clear Sense of Personal Calling and Purpose
God has called each of us to a purposeful journey sustained by faithfulness and growing hope. This calling or vocation transcends our occupations and endures beyond the end of our careers. As we seek the Lord's guidance in developing a personal vision and clarity of mission, we move beyond the level of tasks and accomplishments to the level of the purpose for which we were created.
6. Healthy Relationships with Resourceful People
Relationships such as spiritual mentoring, servant leadership, and personal and group accountability are valuable resources that encourage, equip, and exhort. People who finish well do not do so without the caring support of other growing members of the body of Christ. These relationships help us to increase in intimacy with Christ, maintain the needed disciplines, clarify our long-term perspective, sustain a teachable attitude, and develop our purpose and calling.
7. Ongoing Ministry Investment in the Lives of Others
Spirit-filled living requires us to discover and develop the spiritual gifts we have received and exercise them through the Spirit's power for the edification of others. Believers who finish well are marked by ongoing outreach and sacrificial ministry for the good of other people. Those who squander the resources, gifts, experiences, and hard-learned insights God has given them by no longer investing them in the lives of others soon wither and withdraw.
What does it take to finish well? How can we run in such a way that we can say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7; Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)? Taking to heart the above seven characteristics will help you finish well day by day, as you "run with endurance the race that is set before [you]" (Hebrews 12:1).
Source: The Navigators
This adventure began on September 8, 2010.
Truthfully, I didn’t see it coming. I got to work the usual time. My boss called me into his office around ten. Within minutes I was told, it was my last day. I’d been there almost seven years and really thought I’d be there many more. But it was over. Different emotions ran through me. I was angry and scared. Bottom line, I was out of work.
Since I worked in New York City, I thought I’d find something fairly quickly. But I wasn’t alone and it was hard finding anything. I felt the pressure of the deep sense of commitment to provide for my family. Yet, I always knew that any provision my family enjoyed came directly from the hand of the Lord. And that was still true.
Well, time passed and … nothing. As the holidays approached, anxiety grew. My severance package only paid me through the end of October. But we had each other and a loving Christian community to walk with us. Still, the weight was significant and growing daily.
I prayed, “Lord, please help me find something. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to provide for my family.” Turns out … that claim was tested.
Just before Christmas, I was contacted about a position that my skills fit well. It was out of state yet they were willing to conduct the entire interview process over the phone. I really didn’t think the opportunity was real. Yet, I spoke with this company three times and … got the job!
It meant living apart from my family. But, my wife and I agreed there was no sense in moving our whole life there until we were sure it would be long term. So, in January of 2011, I packed my car and traveled one thousand miles to … Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I arrived on January 16th.
It was COLD! During the first month, the overnight lows were around -15F. But the job was good and I found a small church that embraced me. However, with all the blessings, it became clear that, although the company offered a permanent position, living in Wisconsin was not for us.
So I prayed again, “Lord, I again really need to find me something.” You’d thought by now I would’ve learned to be more specific. Well, the Lord answered and in late June, I drove fourteen hundred miles from Oshkosh, Wisconsin to … San Antonio, Texas. I arrived on July 1st.
It was HOT! I experienced average daily temperatures of around 105F. I began another new job, another one bedroom apartment, and was now even further away from my family then before. Yet, as was true in Wisconsin, I was never alone. I often grew tired of the situation, but found a strength that was anchored to His loving presence.
THIS time I prayed VERY specifically, “Lord, I need a job, back in New York, close enough so I can be with my family.” The Lord answered with a job on Long Island that was closer to my home than the original one I’d lost. So, on September 29th, I packed up my car again to travel nineteen hundred miles back to New York.
It was a long drive but I was excited. I was heading home. But an hour outside of San Antonio, near Austin, I got a phone from my step-mother in Puerto Rico. She told me my father had just passed away. My heart fell. I didn’t know what to feel. I’d just spoken with him a week prior. Now, he was gone and I wouldn’t even be able to attend his funeral.
The long drive suddenly became longer. Now, I wasn’t just tired. I was weary. Yet, I can testify that it in those moments of solitude, I found solace. I knew I wasn’t alone. Truth is … life presents challenges for us all. Yet, through each turn in the road, we are promised a traveling Companion who is loving and faithful.
During these nine months away, and through life in general, I’ve gained insight as it pertains to being weary. Difficult times alone don’t create weariness, but rather a lack of awareness during them that does. When we lose our sense of His presence, we can easily cave under life’s weight. Did I get angry? Sure. But I didn’t lose hope. That’s what God did for me. And that’s His promise for you too! —Hiram Claudio
NOTE: Hiram Claudio is an IT professional who also serves as a Christian minister and Bible teacher.
