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Simple Pleasures

By May 15, 2013August 30th, 2022Devotional

Today was the kind of day that I used to have all the time. After all the hectic events of the last two years or so, it was good to realize that the mission has been accomplished and that life is getting back to normal. Sure, things are still hectic, but it is apparent to me that life is about to calm down and get a lot simpler.

I was actually able to enjoy the sunshine and breeze earlier this evening – arriving home in time to run to a store and then take Janet to pick up dinner. I miss those days. Through it all, I can’t help but be grateful to God that it looks like everything is working out the way it is supposed to. And that includes my life with Janet. I have been so busy lately that Janet has made significant sacrifices – and our time together has been at a minimum. It was nice to have time to spend together this evening just being together and running several errands.

We actually spoke this evening about our upcoming anniversary and are planning a vacation to Hawaii. It will be wonderful to spend some quality time together and just chill out. I have several business trips planned in the next four weeks or so and then the schedule really does start to slow down. I wonder if I know what I will do with myself!

I have actually thought about starting to read the Bible again – cover to cover. Maybe Janet will join me. And I long to have lunch with my friends from seminary and spend more time in prayer and making sure that I am squarely in the will of God for my life. Make no mistake – I can’t retire – I’m not even close to being able to do that, but I can get more balance in my life – and something is nudging me letting me know that balance is right around the corner.

And there is a passage of Scripture that lets us know that we can’t serve both God and money. Maybe that’s the lesson I am supposed to focus on next – serving God in even mightier ways. You know, when I started my doctoral work, I was asked whether I wanted to be a pastor, a missionary or a Christian educator. Somehow, I believed that I was not yet at the point of my life where a pastorate would fulfill me. And although I love to teach, the thought of being in the classroom week after week with the same students somehow seemed exciting, but also not completely fulfilling to me. So I chose the missionary track in seminary.

What’s so interesting to me as I look back on that fateful day was the fact that I was asked to declare a mission field. Although I am sure that people were expecting me to choose a country or a cause, I chose something that had never been mentioned before – the American corporate workplace. At first, everyone thought that I should reconsider and urged me to choose somewhere like Kenya, or Ethiopia or another third world place. But that was not to be – and now, more than 10 years later, I know that I made the correct choice – then and now.

The things I have been privileged to be a part of are now part of my DNA. Experiences that I have been honored to have been a part of. Now, it’s time to re-evaluate and decide if God has something else in store for the next season of my life. I can hardly wait to find out. I don’t know for sure what the next months or years have in store for me, but tonight I am very fulfilled.

I spoke with one of my brothers early today and oddly, he is in a similar place. He is a well known surgeon and he has a chance to make decisions about the remainder of his corporate life that are similar to the choices before me. In fact, we discussed this early today and we both wondered what our father would have thought of the choices that we have made so far. As youngsters, I don’t know that either of us even began to fathom the twists and turns our lives would take. It has been a remarkable journey so far – and it’s not nearly over.

The verse for this evening is from 1 Tim. 2:2, “for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” My encouragement this evening is that you will make sure that you are tracking with God. My prayer is that you will listen to the Holy Spirit and that you will let God direct your steps. There is nothing under heaven that is more fulfilling. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…

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