Old Words

Goodwill turns trash into treasure through the power of work.

COVID-19 is turning treasure into trash through the power of work.  Optimism, hope and confidence are treasures.  A coronavirus information deluge was working to trash my spirit before I read:

"David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."                                                              ~ I Chronicles 28:20 

David was speaking toward the end of his life and Solomon was to become king.  His father's death was important but his father lifted the construction of the temple at Jerusalem as more important.  COVID-19 has ended lives and recognizing the threat is important.  Doing the work to which God is calling each of us is more important.

God is calling me to turn trash into treasure through the power of work.

Solomon had a temple to build, I have a Gospel to preach and you have work to do.  Old words help us face a new challenge.

David told Solomon, "be strong and courageous and do the work".  Imperative commands in scriptures were often given to counter the status quo: think Ten Commandments.

If David was telling Solomon to be strong, courageous and active it may have been because he was weak, fearful and hesitant.  In I Kings 2:2, David tells Solomon to, "...be strong, act like a man and observe what the Lord your God requires..."  David's exchanges with Solomon are old words that are helping me cope with a new reality.

It's frightening to see how schools, colleges, pro teams, governments and municipalities are affected by coronavirus.  Unless the Lord is with us, keeping His promise to never leave or forsake us, we will not finish the work each of us is called to do.  The Lord is however with us and there is work to do.

In this season of my life, I feel called to use the Gospel to serve human populations at the intersection of faith and public health by ministering among first responders.  Who are coronavirus victims going to call to enforce a quarantine, evacuate the ill or provide ongoing care except police officers and fire fighters?  Even the most hardened rescuers need to be strengthened and encouraged.  By God's grace, I've been placed among them to offer hope.

How about you and the work you're called to today?  Write these old words on a card, read them out loud and keep them where you can see them:

"David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord, my God, is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished."               ~ I Chronicles 28:20 

Then do the work. 

The Holy Spirit is using old words to turn the trash of our despair into a bottomless treasure we can share with others.