How are you spending your Ordinary Time? As I write, it is almost the middle of
July. I am reflecting on my tenure as a university professor and what I would be
doing at this point of the summer. The summer months were full of planning for
the fall semester - scheduling and holding auditions, recruiting like crazy,
arranging music, curriculum design, lesson plans, and feeling some amount of
pressure to have everything ready by the end of August. I was grateful, though, for
the summertime to do all these things. Work was always a joy.
Looking back, I think of all those years with fond memories. These days are rather
different. Some of the difference is good, some is hard. The good part of not
working anymore (aka: being retired), is that the normal stresses of working life
are gone. The hard part is not having enough to do because I have always worked
and not working is hard. Working has always been a symbol of what God was
doing in and through me.
Seasons of life change and with each season comes new challenges. I find myself at
a bit of crossroads because I have some new and exciting opportunities ahead. But, I
must choose carefully which opportunities to say ‘yes’ to and what to say ‘no’ to.
How can I best use the gifts and talents God has given me? All of the opportunities
before me are wonderful! But I can’t do everything because there would come a
point of time where there would be too many conflicts, and then I would not be
able to give of my best. Something would suffer. I would be too tired, possibly get
sick - getting older has these issues to consider!
Do I look for a sign to know what to choose? Can I ask God to give me a special
sign? I am reminded of the story of Gideon found in the book of Judges chapters 6
and 7. Do you remember that story? God’s call to Gideon came at a time when the
Israelites had turned away from God and were serving idols. Gideon knew the
stories of what God had done in the past. But the Presence of God had left Israel
due to their rebellion against him and their worship of idols. So Gideon tested God.
He put a wool fleece out and asked God to make it wet and the floor around it
dry. God was patient and fulfilled Gideon’s request and went on to give him a
great victory over the enemies of Israel.
We are told in scripture not to test God. But there are many instances where people
did test him. God tested people to find out their real intentions. (Of course, God
already knew their intentions because he is Omniscient). I don’t think in order to
make a decision I need to test God to find out what to do. Instead, I need to be
faithful to what I know he desires of me and make a choice. He will be faithful to
guide me in my choice as I am faithful to follow him. This reminds me of a little
song that I taught my children’s choir many years ago. It was based on Deut. 20:4.
It simply said, “He will go before you and give you victory”.
By exercising what I know about God’s faithfulness, both through scripture and
in my own life, I can make the best decision for the upcoming opportunities. I am
now certain of what I will choose. I ask God to work through me so that others will
benefit. My prayer is that the outcomes of my choices with be that others will also
discover significance and meaning in their lives by following God.
One of my favorite verses is Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this,
that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day
of Christ Jesus”.
If you are making any kind of decision, I encourage you to use this Ordinary Time
to reflect on the faithfulness of God in your life and trust his promise to ‘go before
you and give you victory’!
Shalom!
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