A Light in the Darkness

  It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Psalm 127:2 ESV             When work becomes anxious toil, something has gone wrong. Something has gone wrong in our society when it comes to work. Several decades ago, Wayne Oats coined a new word, “Workaholic” to describe addiction to work.   The description Oats came up resonates with the psalmist describes. Anxious toiling, long hours, and little if any enjoyment of the work itself or the fruits of the toil. Addiction is another word for slavery, and it is easy to be enslaved by the anxiety over our work for it drives to work more, and that increases our anxiety while also burning through psychological energies.             Not only is workaholism addiction/slavery, it is idolatry for if we stop to think about it the workaholic ...

              All throughout the Bible we find stories of faithful people in difficult situations, waiting for God to do what He had promised to do. Noah building the ark, and preaching repentance awaiting the first rain; and then again waiting for the waters of the flood to pass. Abraham waiting for Isaac as he wanders as a stranger in a strange land. Joseph laboring in captivity, and then in prison; and Israel would wait till Joseph’s name was forgotten to leave that land. Moses too waited for many years before the time came for the exodus, and then he led God’s people for decades in the wilderness facing hardships and trials. Moses would not enter the land of Promise, but even the land the people had troubles for generations. David waited on the run, and through civil war for God to grant him the throne. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel endured much and did not live to see the exiles return. When the prophets fell silent hund...

  And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Matthew 10:1-4 ESV             Who are these twelve men? What merit have they that Jesus should choose them to go out and minister with His authority? A few we know as fishermen, one is a tax-collector, and one a zealot. We are not given much of an introduction here, the resumes are not included, their skills and abilities are not catalogued, their previous accomplishments are nowhere mentioned. For all we know they have none to speak of.    ...