I am glad that my infectious disease doctor warned me about some of the side effects of the antibiotics. Primarily the fatigue that can be experienced. I have had a good day but early afternoon it seemed that I experienced some unexpected fatigue in the midst of my day. We have also been in the process of slowly adjusting some of my other medication.

I did have my appointment with my infectious disease doctor and he was pleased with my progress yet still concerned about the reoccurring infections. He emphasized once again that he did not believe the cause was a compromised immune system. I am able to discontinue my antibiotics tomorrow morning, so that was good news. I will pick up with my outpatient therapy next week after resetting some of the authorizations following my hospitalization. On Monday I have an appointment with my Urologist to get his take on what we should do going forward to address my infection issue.

We leave a week from Saturday for a trip to Florida. My doctor just said to take all my medical information, “just in case.” Of course I told him that this was perfect timing because the next four to six weeks should be better than the last two.

 BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in the Valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.” Judges 6:33-35

Judges 6 has some great verses. The chapter begins with the calling of Gideon when the Angel of the Lord calls him a “mighty man of valor” as he threshes wheat in fear of the Midianites.  The chapter ends with the famous fleece that Gideon puts out looking for assurance that God will indeed deliver Israel. So these verses in the context may seem obscure in light of all the well known verses of this chapter.  However, these verses show the first time that others responded to this “unlikely leader’s” call to arms.

Some one astutely observed that you are not a leader if no one is following you. Up to this point it had been Gideon and his first brave act of tearing down an altar to Baal and an idol of Asherah; which he did at night because he was afraid to do it during the day. I believe that there are some observations that we can make about leadership and the “grace” of leadership. I use that word because effective leadership involves grace (favor) from God and grace (favor) from others.

1. God’s grace to lead begins with what we have – “…Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14) What you will find is that God equips you as you go, offering to him what you have. It is the same concept of God asking Moses, “what is in your hand?” If is the principle of the “five loaves and two fish.”

2. God’s grace to lead requires humility – “…My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” (Judges 6:15) One could argue Gideon was suffering from an inferiority complex, but so did Moses. Peter would write “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) If there was anyone who needed to learn about humility in preparation for leadership it was Peter.

3. God’s grace to lead requires obedience – That night the Lord said to him, “…pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it.”  (Judges 6:25) This was Gideon’s first act of obedience that we see followed by his process of narrowing down 32,000 men to 300 in order of win a victory that could only be attributed to God. (Judges 7)

4. Grace to lead others comes from God’s Spirit – “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:16)  “Now all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together…But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet…” (Judges 6:33,34)

The Spirit of God was needed for Gideon to be successful in his endeavors and for people to rally to his side. I like that simple statement of encouragement, “I will be with you.” It doesn’t matter how strong your faith or prepared you are for battle, when you see one army let alone three gather together and camp out on your front lawn it is intimidating. But in contrast to yielding to human fear, “…the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon…”

God’s grace for Gideon to lead resulted in grace from others who followed his call and prepared themselves for battle. Perhaps this is seen in the greatest expression with his army of three hundred armed with pots and torches. This demonstrates confidence in a leader and confidence in the God of the leader for an army to follow this bazaar strategy. Through it all God was patient with Gideon to provide the proof that he needed of God’s direction and presence that would bring the final victory.

In your leadership, in your sphere of influence. Trust the Lord to provide the grace needed from him and others to be effective for the task before you.

This Labor Day is far different than one year ago. I read Debbie’s post from last year as she faithfully watched over my bedside making sure I was comfortable and receiving the care that I needed at Northern Colorado Acute Care Hospital. It was around this time last year that I had a major aspiration episode that delayed my surgery schedule and resulted in the removal of the lower lobe of my left lung.

My work for this year has been far different than anything that I have experienced in the past. It has involved the “work” of rehabilitation, doing what I can from a home office on special projects and trying to make Debbie’s workload for my care less of a burden. I think Debbie is relieved just having me around to look out after some of the family finances and things around the house that need attention. Of course a lot of those things have been taken care of by some great friends who continue to provide their support.

I failed to mention that yesterday for the first time, I used my four-wheel walker to get into the church building. This was the first time that I have sat in a “regular” chair for a church service since early July 2013. This is the kind of walker that has the seat between the “handle bars.” It provides an opportunity for me to sit and push myself backwards if I get tired. Some have suggested that I get a horn and a rear view mirror!

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…                Colossians 3:23   “…everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.”  Ecclesiastes 3:13

When we stop and think about it work is a fascinating part of our life. It begins with the childhood question, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Sometimes work is a joy at others times it is a struggle. Someone once said, “find a career that you enjoy so much that you would do it for nothing and you will never have to work a day the rest of your life.” Work can be “just a job” a means by which we earn income to support ourselves and our family, or it can be a career. It can provide a sense of purpose and identity and enjoyment.

God created us to be productive. The earth was God’s gift to man to take care of, to be a steward over all that God made. Adam named the animals, he was to take care of God’s garden. It was when the curse came as a result of sin that work became difficult. We see slavery soon came into human relationships, so powerful people or nations would have others to “work for them.” We see the story of Jacob and Laban and are confronted with the issue of “fairness of pay for labor received.”

Jesus spent only three years in His active ministry. That means far more of his thirty-three years of life were spent in his work as a “carpenter” (probably stone mason) than they were in His earthly ministry as the Son of God.

King Solomon asserts that finding pleasure in work (toil) is a gift from God. The talents, abilities, skills, and passion that we have for our work should be viewed as a gift from God. They should not be viewed as our purpose; but the way in which God can accomplish His purpose through our life. That is because the Apostle Paul challenges us that our work should be done “heartily” “as for the Lord.” We are to give our employer our best and we are to do so in a way that would honor and please our Lord.

I recall hearing a story of a daughter of a Judge asking her father how he fulfilled God’s purpose through his work. After giving an off the cuff answer, he began to give that question consideration. It changed his whole approach to how he approach his work from the bench. He began to look for ways for his judgments to be redemptive in people’s lives and to really make a difference beyond just executing the consequences of breaking the law.

Relationship with Christ is about redemption. That applies to all aspects of our life including our work. Have you considered how to glorify Christ through your work?

A fall like day here in Fort Collins with cool temperatures. My nurse came and changed out my IV line. I went ahead and removed the old one myself after my morning antibiotic dose. This gave me a few hours without a needle in my arm and provided me an opportunity to take a shower without having to wrap my arm with plastic.

If nothing else, I can take note of the signs of independence in my care. Every once in a while, I have to stop and remember how limited I was in my ability to move my arms and legs. I was recalling recently when I was in the Acute Care Hospital lat year having to remind the aides that I needed certain items in an exact spot. If they were just an inch of two either direction, I was not able to reach them.

Debbie and I have marked certain “small steps” forward in my independence as signs of progress. Ones that for most people would easily be unnoticed or taken for granted. For me those “small steps” were big signs. Some of them Debbie even had to point out to me in order for me to appreciate the progress.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”   Matthew 27:51-54

There are certain verses in the Bible that we read and out of familiarity or the fact that after-all it is “The Bible” that we fail to understand the significance. The religious leaders asked Jesus for a sign. He told them the only sign they would receive would be the “sign of Jonah.” He explained that as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days so He would be in the grave for three days. I am always surprised that the religious leaders remembered and had greater concern over this prediection than did Jesus followers. That is what made them go to Pilot and make sure the grave was secure.

When Jesus died these signs of His Deity above had great significance. The curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This curtain had separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to offer the blood of the sacrifice for the sins of the people. When Christ died and the curtain was torn it was a signal that God was hosting an “open house.” The blood of Christ became the sacrifice for the sin of the world and a new day had arrived! A day of grace and forgiveness for all who would place their faith in Christ.

Then there was the earthquake that shook the city. Since not everyone was at the cross it would have been interesting to hear the talk among the people about this event. One person that did not miss the significance was the centurion and others standing guard at the cross. He confessed, “surely this was the Son of God.” What role this man had in the punishment Jesus received we do not know. He at least would have been overseeing the punishment Jesus received. Perhaps he was in the crowd on the day of Pentecost just over 50 days later when Peter gave his sermon; on that occasion thousands confessed Christ as savior.  (Acts 2)

The last sign is to me one of the greatest. The graves of dead saints were opened and they came out of their tombs, went into the city and “appeared to many.” Which saints? What did they say? How did people react? Did they return to their graves? Here is an event the evokes a lot of questions, but is often skimmed over. For whatever reason we are not filled in on those details. But it was a sign that “Jesus was [is] the Son of God!” It is a clear indication that Jesus death on the cross means life for all who place their trust in Him.

The religious leaders asked for a sign. They received many signs in God’s way and in God’s time. They had to decide what do do with the signs. Many of them rejected the signs and they tried to suppress the greatest sign, Jesus resurrection. The centurion saw the signs and believed. When you read the gospels, don’t miss the significance of these events, don’t miss the signs.

Today I have had more energy and strength then in the past two days. The last two evenings Debbie has helped me with my walking with my walker. I have been able to make it the length of our property line which is almost a block, more than that for my round trip after a rest break. I have had to delay my outpatient appointments until after my antibiotic doses are completed. I will have two outpatient therapy appointments in early September before we take a trip to Orlando.

I was pleased that I was able to get out and get the lawn mowed between the morning and afternoon rains. The grass was long enough I will need to rake up the trimmings in some spots.

This afternoon I stopped by Timberline Church to catch Pastor Jay Pathak from Mile High Vineyard. My son Christian is on staff at this church and Jay was in town sharing “The Art of Neighboring.” This was a seminar for community leaders based on his book by the same title.

I received an email from some people in Texas with a friend in his mid-70’s with West Nile Virus. He is hospitalized receiving some of the same life support and experiencing some of the same symptoms as I did. Please pray from Lloyd that he recovers and is strengthened in his mind and body.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY….  “For the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me.”  Job 3:25

This statements is from Job’s first “discourse” after not just losing children, servants and live stock but also his health. It is Job’s physical suffering that makes his wife say, “why don’t you curse God and die.”

This verse contains an idiom that we still hear today. “What I feared has come upon me.” I am not sure if modern psychology would attribute this to some “self-fulfilling prophecy” or just a bazaar occurrence. It is true that 99% of the things we worry about don’t happen. That is why worry is unproductive. But there are those scenarios that all of us have in our mind that we would not want to face.

For me an extended hospital stay with tubes running out of all my body cavities was one of those. As a pastor I had seen people in all types of serious conditions in ICU units and hospital rooms. That exposure was probably the reason for my “I-don’t-every-want-to-be-in-that-situation”  list.

When I received the email this morning about the man with West Nile his situation was similar to mine. With the exception of his diabetes (not sure how serious) he played golf, was an active member of his church and in good physical condition. I am sure the for a man in his mid-70’s he would have expected some other health crisis other than one from being bit by a mosquito. I am use to men like this outplaying me on my senior softball team.

When we face the unexpected our faith is put to the test. Faith is only revealed in the midst of the test or the fight. Peter talks about the trying of our faith. (1 Peter 1:7) Paul writes about the “shield of faith” that distinguishes the enemies (Satan’s) arrows. (Ephesians 6)

When we face the unexpected we find strength to meet the need . Paul in pleading with Jesus about his “thorn in the flesh” received the message of reassurance from the Lord, “my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul goes on and makes a statement of contrast, “…when I am weak, then I am strong.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9,10) I like the adage that says, “God doesn’t give dying grace on non-dying days.”  

When we face the unexpected it reveals our character. Job’s wife asked him, “will you still hold on to your integrity?” The reality is when all is is stripped away, that is all that you have. A recent issue of Readers Digest contained an article by retired Navy Seal Mark Divine entitled, “Learning to Take a Stand.” Divine, speaking from a career in the military to business, says, “I’ve noticed that leadership is not skill. It’s character. Successful, happy, and fulfilled people embody core values such as honor, courage and commitment to personal excellence…”  This applies to whether you are leading a troop, company, family or yourself. Just as hot water brings out the flavor and color of the tea, so the “hot water” circumstances of life bring out what is inside of us.

I am thankful that the Lord is faithful to give strength in the midst of the tests of life that build and reveal our character. Just as the Lord’s love and faithfulness endures forever, so our faith must endure in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.