Month: August 2020

If the light was not shining at just the correct angle, it would not be visible, but I knew it was there. It was a ding on the surface of my guitar. It was a careless accident when I bumped the guitar against the edge of my desk. I had owned the guitar for over 10 years and was proud that there were absolutely no scratches or dings, until now. 

Unless I pointed it out to another person or if they were truly searching for it, it would not be noticeable. I was the owner and I knew it was there and no amount of guitar polish or angling of the lighting would ever remove it. The ding, the flaw, would always remain, in spite of my best efforts to cover it up. 

There are many dings in my life that remain hidden to most of the people with whom I regularly interact. Only upon closer scrutiny will these dings be revealed. And as hidden as some of these dings are, there are still other flaws, so discreet that only I know they exist. And there even more flaws, oblivious even to me, known only to God, my Creator. These flaws are waiting to be revealed. It is my sinful pride that is deceiving me into believing they do not exist. 

Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.

Hebrews 3:12-13 (CSB)

The most difficult task I face is to look in the mirror and realize that the flaws I see in others are actually magnified in my own life. I choose to either deny their existence or my sinful pride prevents me from acknowledging and recognizing them within myself. 

Thanks be to God that His divine light shines on my life to reveal the dings and sins that I have hidden so well that even I cannot recognize them. 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The intriguing mix of the peppermint and citrus oils scents made my skin tingle as it wafted by my nose. It was my new soap and it was evoking a response within me that I had not previously experienced. After a few days, I felt invigorated, more energized than I had felt in months. At first I thought it was a change in my diet but upon further reflection I knew there was only one new variable in my life-my soap! 

There are certain aromas I enjoy. My cologne is based upon the Verbena herb, a lemony-citrusy scent. My moisturizer is embedded with eucalyptus. However, up to this point, I have never encountered a scent or combination of scents that evoked such a strong visceral reaction within me. Naturally I thought I had fallen victim to clever advertising but after a week of using it, I was convinced that the soap was definitely altering my outlook and even enhancing my energy levels. 

I had always heard about aromatherapy and while I, like many others, know the emotional power of a scent or aroma, I dismissed the therapeutic effects that are enthusiastically supported by its pundits. Yet, this recent experience motivated me to explore the connection between aromas and health. Not surprisingly, the peer-reviewed medical literature is replete with numerous well designed clinical trials documenting the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating numerous psychiatric conditions and relieving stress and pain in conditions diverse as childbirth, the pain of cancer and chemotherapy, and post-operative discomfort. I now agreed with my own sample size of one. 

Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Genesis 8:20-22 (ESV)

God created us with a very perceptive olfactory system. Is it any wonder that He also designed us to emotionally respond to certain aromas? This verse from the Bible confirms this. A scent is much more than an aroma that stimulates and entices our olfactory system. It is a pathway to experience God’s blessings through His Creation. It reminds us of God’s promises that He will always provide and care for us. It should also encourage us to become like the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ, spreading the Good New of salvation to all those who confess and repent of their sins and place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior. 

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (CSB)

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

“Hey. Sorry to bother you, I know it has been a while but I have an emergency. I am out of the country and have trouble texting you or using my cell phone. Can you just reply to this and let me know you got this? Thanks. Sally”

I was in the middle of signing out my cases when this email came from a colleague with whom I infrequently interact. Without thinking, I immediately replied to the email and within a few minutes I received a reply.

“Thanks for replying. Sorry, my nephew’s birthday is today and I wanted to send him an Amazon gift card. Do you think you can order it for me and send it to him? Don’t worry, I will pay you back.”

Now THAT was unusual. I immediately called Sally, hoping that she did have a cell phone connection. 

“Hi Sally. Just checking that you need that gift card?”

Sally was flustered. “Oh no. You got it too?” Her answer said it all. Her email account had been hacked.

“I woke up this morning and I received dozens of phone calls from my friends asking me about the email and request.”

A few years ago, many of us were victimized by an email scam that requested our signature on a frequently used document signing program. The email address and sender were legitimate and I almost opened it until I decided to call the sender who confirmed that he had been hacked and it was a scam. Today’s episode alerted me that round two of email hacking and scamming by unscrupulous cyber invaders was beginning. 

Most of us recognize a dangerous situation when we encounter it. It is during the times when we are distracted that we are most vulnerable to stumbling. I was distracted with my work and I didn’t think it unusual that my colleague would email me, albeit the message was odd. Like this false email, Satan can usurp familiar and friendly situations and manipulate them to lure me away from God. 

At the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ, Satan challenged Jesus Christ with three temptations. Our Lord was steadfast in His faith to God, His Father, and withstood the temptations. However, at the end, Satan was not done with Jesus and the temptation ends with this foreboding statement. 

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.

Luke 4:13 (NLT)

Round two!

Like our Lord Jesus Christ, Satan is always looking to attack us with situations that will mislead and take us down the pathway to sin. Will I be ready to withstand the next temptation to let my defenses down and succumb to the wiles of the devil? Absolutely! God always provides the answer to our most distressing needs. 

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:7 (NLT)

I must remain vigilant to Satan’s intrusions in my life. The first step is to acknowledge that I, alone, do not have the power or strength to resist Satan’s temptations. I  need to call upon my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and rely upon the power of His Resurrection to resist the devil. 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

For two years, I had been taking Karate lessons and immensely enjoyed the experience. However, my professional workload was becoming oppressive and I could not take the time to practice my routines. In addition, my aging body was getting pummeled by the other students who were young enough to be my children. I had enough but I needed to inform the Sensei. I was not looking forward to the conversation. He and I were about the same age and we had become friends, often texting one another during our time outside of the dojo. 

“Sensei! Got a second?”

“Sure!” He was seated in his office, relaxing before our lesson. 

“Hey…” I slowly began. “Got something to share with you.” I then related the issues that were leading me to make this decision. All during this discussion, he managed a weak smile and nodded. It was obvious he was disappointed. I attempted to soften the blow. 

“It’s not you, it’s me!”

My Sensei chuckled. “Yeah right! You’re breaking up with me!”

I laughed. “Exactly!” 

I have heard both sexes state this to their partners when they are breaking up. It is an attempt to deflect the pain of the moment and place the blame on the party who is instigating the breakup. It may be the truth but it sometimes sounds disingenuous. In my case, it was the truth but in other instances, I am not so sure. 

A person’s own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the LORD.

Proverbs 19:3 (CSB)

Whenever things go wrong, I first look to everyone else to blame, including God. I should spend more time looking in the mirror. One painful incident reminded me of my foolishness to blame others instead of taking responsibility for my own actions. In my psychiatry rotation during medical school, I was being videotaped as I interviewed a patient. It was a difficult interview and I was not making a connection with her in spite of my best efforts. After the interview, the professor reviewed the interview with me in front of my classmates. As we watched the interaction, he nodded and mumbled imperceptibly. At the end, he asked me, “Why do you think you had such difficulty making a connection with your patient?”

I shook my head. “I think it is her underlying condition. She has major depression and is also paranoid. Anything I said would trigger a bad memory.”

My professor pursed his lips. “That may be but the video reveals something else.” He proceeded to rewind the video tape and replayed a key exchange. “There, do you see it?”

I shook my head. 

“Look at your facial expression and body language. You were reacting negatively to her story. You were communicating your disapproval with your body language. This is why you didn’t make a connection.”

I was chagrined to have this fault pointed out to me. I was blaming the patient when in reality, I was to blame. It was the beginning of a radical change in the way I interacted with my patients and with others, when I realized that I needed to stop assigning the blame for my failures on others and take responsibility and ownership for my own actions.

“It’s not you, it’s me!”

Dear God, You are absolutely correct…again!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Anyone who has been in a Japanese retail store or restaurant has undoubtedly spied a ceramic cat, perched on its hind legs with one paw lifted up. Here is an example. 

Source: Amazon.com

It is the maneki-neko. 

The exact origins are a bit murky but the intention of positioning it in one’s business is to beckon and welcome customers. Although many modern Japanese do not take it very seriously, this tradition has spread to other Asian countries, notably China. There is cultural significance and some business people feel that even if it doesn’t work, it couldn’t hurt to display it. If there is no meaning, then why continue this tradition? 

How foolish are those who manufacture idols. These prized objects are really worthless. The people who worship idols don’t know this, so they are all put to shame. Who but a fool would make his own god—an idol that cannot help him one bit?

Isaiah 44:9-10 (NLT)

Idols take many shapes and sizes. It may be a ceramic figurine or something more subtle, such as a ritual one does before their favorite activity or occupation. Some athletes will wear a certain sock or an article of clothing before an important game. Some attorneys will perform a pre-trial ritual such as listening to a particular song or reciting an inspiring quote of their favorite philosopher. All of these activities are done since when it was first performed, it led to a successful outcome, therefore, why not continue this tradition, even if it makes no rational sense.

The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, “Why, it’s just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood?”

Isaiah 44:19 (NLT)

It took a very long time for me to realize that the idols that I cherished in my life were powerless and lifeless blocks of wood. I have diplomas on my wall and certificates of achievement. For years, I would look at them to inspire me and encourage me to persevere in what I was doing. What I failed to see was these awards had no power. I only achieved them because of Gods’ grace and mercy in my life. What does it truly mean to have gained all of these but forfeited my life? There is nothing I can achieve or gain that I can exchange for the worth of my soul. 

Should I bow down to worship a piece of wood? Only if I am willing to sacrifice my soul and forsake my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

In the 1993 movie, “Philadelphia”, attorney Joe Miller, played by actor Denzel Washington, would ask his clients to explain their situation to him as if he were a two year old. 

Such a request may come across as pejorative but most of us can relate to the desire to simplify any discussion or problem and distill it to the most basic of terms. In fact, one measure of a good teacher or leader is the ability to teach the most difficult of concepts to a layperson with no specialized training or background. 

One of the most challenging areas in diagnostic pathology is hematopathology. The histopathologic changes of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are subtle and cancerous changes are even more subtle, sometimes difficult to distinguish from normal. When I was a first year pathology resident, I was fortunate to train with a world-renowned hematopathologist who was famous for discovering and describing one of the most important categories of lymphomas, a collection of cancerous white blood cells invading a body organ. He was able to distill very complex descriptions into everyday examples. One phrase I will always remember was how he could bring out the subtle changes in the cell shape by subtly moving the focus of the microscope in and out. This action brought different parts of the cell into focus, as if he was animating the cells. “Look at the cells dance!” he would chuckle as he pointed out the nuances.He was explaining advanced diagnostic techniques as if I were a two-year old, but I understood!

It was a simple but powerful example. What is true in my professional life is even more true with my spiritual walk with God. How often do I need to be spoken and disciplined by God as if I were a two-year old? Too often! God is very clear that my heart should remain devoted to serving Him. When times are going well, it is easy, but then I grow lazy. I take God’s blessings for granted and my heart is swayed by the world. I convince myself that any success is through my actions and hard work, not by His grace and blessings. When things begin going awry, I come crying back to God like a lost child, asking Him for forgiveness for my sinful ways and restoring the sanctity of our fellowship. Is it any wonder that God needs to explain His ways to me like a two-year old?

“Who does the LORD think we are?” they ask. “Why does he speak to us like this? Are we little children, just recently weaned? He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there!”

Isaiah 28:9-10 (NLT)

Until I learn to be obedient and trusting of God’s guidance and direction in my life, He will need to continue to explain it to me like I am a two-year old. When will I ever grow up? Only when I am in Heaven, in the glorious presence of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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It was a tragic story. 

I received the news of the sudden passing of a co-worker. He was a supervisor in the one of the hospital laboratories for which I was on staff many years ago. My partners and I were stunned. We immediately recounted our fond memories and shared experiences that endeared him to us and so many others. Inevitably the conversation turned to the question that was on everyone’s mind. 

Why did he die?

It is a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Many people, Christians and non-believers alike, may cry out with this same question, hoping, even pleading, to find an answer and make sense of an unexpected situation. Depending upon the background of the person, the answers may range from, “It was their time.” to “A loving God cannot possibly allow this to happen.” to “He is in a better place.”  All of these answers cannot be correct and some are even contradictory to each other. 

I certainly do not have all the answers, only God knows and He is under no obligation to reveal  His reasons to us as to why He allows a death to happen. In this passage from the prophet Isaiah, God reveals that in some cases, His grace and mercy may be on display for this person’s life. Yet, can we trust God’s judgment?

Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭57:1-2‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

We can trust God’s judgment even when it involves the death of a loved one. God demonstrated His willingness to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on Cross for our sins. God sealed His promise to care for us by the blood of His own Son. He raised Jesus Christ from the dead proving that all who confess and repent of their sins and place their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will have salvation and eternal life.

We can claim this promise before we die and if we accept His invitation, when we die, we will immediately be in the presence of God in Heaven. And we will know for sure that our loved ones will truly be in a better place. 

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

It was initially met with skepticism and even mockery. Young Japanese men were dying of heart attacks and strokes. Many were under thirty years of age and had no prior health conditions. Upon further investigation, doctors noted a common theme amongst all of these deaths. All worked excessively long work weeks, exceeding the forty-hour work week by 50% or greater. By 1987, the Japanese government officially adopted new workforce rules to address this growing health crisis.

Karoshi.

This Japanese word is translated as death by overworking. Since the initial reports from Japan in the seventies and eighties, other Asian countries have documented their versions with terms ranging from guolaosi (Chinese) and gwarosa (South Korea). The medical community in many countries has accepted this as a true condition and has taken steps to mitigate the circumstances leading to this tragic condition. 

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Psalms 127:2 (NLT)

Ironically, many of the risk factors that lead to this condition, I also share. When I first began my medical career in private practice, I routinely worked eleven to twelve-hour workdays. Without giving it a formal name, I was on the path to karoshi. I certainly do not shy away from hard work, but there is a subtle danger when I convince myself that my work is too valuable and that only I can perform it. It is a vainglorious statement and can foment a slippery slope that exalts my efforts at the expense of God’s guidance. God knows me far better than I know myself and warns me in the preceding verse of the same Psalms.

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

Psalms 127:1 (NLT)

I spent so much of my life working hard, building my house, my city, and my kingdom. I should not be asking myself, “Why am I working so hard?” Instead, I should always be asking, “Why am I not spending more time resting in God?” 

Why indeed?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

“He’s not a shredder!”

“He doesn’t have to be! Everything he played fit the songs. Can you imagine any of their songs without his distinctive licks?”

I was enjoying a lively discussion with a fellow guitar player, much younger than me, debating the merits of Beatle George Harrison. So many of today’s younger guitar players are enamored by their guitar heroes who exhibit technical prowess, also known as shredding. There are many examples, changing with each generation. In the sixties, it was Jimi Hendrix. In the seventies, Eddie Van Halen set a new standard and inspired many of the current generation of shredders like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Even this short list will probably invite a lively discussion. Suffice to say, today’s music scene is a crowded stage of numerous giants of guitar technique. Frankly, I am duly impressed with their skills and could never even begin to emulate some of their famous licks. However, music is more than just technique. 

I am of an older generation, growing up in the sixties and seventies. While I appreciate the contemporary shredders idolized by this current generation, my guitar heroes are those who created memorable melodic phrases and licks for their respective songs. George Harrison was an unparalleled master of creating these musical passages. Can anyone ever think of “Day Tripper” without humming the infectious guitar intro that is pervasive throughout the song? What about the jarring opening chord of “Hard Days Night”? And don’t get me started on the crazy descending chromatic run on the opening phrases of “Help!” None of these songs would be the same without the tasty, creative licks and melodic excursions George Harrison created. I appreciate the right musical phrase played at the right moment within each song. The phrases may not be the most technically demanding piece ever played on the guitar but it fits and completes the song.

A word spoken at the right time is like gold apples in silver settings.

Proverbs 25:11 (CSB)

My love for the right musical phrase presented at the right time carries over to my spiritual life as well. How many times have I found myself wandering in a spiritual wasteland only to have God speak to me with the perfect Bible verse? I don’t always need to hear a heavy, technical dissertation on theology. I need to hear the pure milk of God’s Word to penetrate my heart and heal my tortured soul. God’s Word is always the golden apple presented on a silver platter! 

It fits!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

I had just taken a mandatory online course on “Sexual Harassment Prevention for Employees”. Well-written and informative, it was a stark difference from other human resource videos and presentations. The dialogue was real, taken from actual court testimonies and depositions. Furthermore, some of the actors were well-known celebrities, giving this entire presentation a welcome realism. As I viewed the various scenarios, I was completely drawn in realizing these episodes actually occurred. 

There is something compelling about viewing a presentation with the knowledge that the actual dialogue is genuine. No matter how incredulous the situation may appear, one has to be persuaded by the veracity of the story. It really happened and if it did, what should be my response? In the case of this sexual harassment course, it opened my eyes to the subtle ways that harassment can rear its ugly head in the workplace. It also encouraged me to open a dialogue with my employees about this disturbing topic. In short, the course was a success because I knew the dialogue was real. 

Are there other situations where we can know the dialogue is real and we can be persuaded to change our behavior because of it? The Bible is God’s plan for redemption and salvation for mankind. It is an accurate account of the conversations that occurred between God and man. When I read the Bible, I am not reading a fanciful fairy tale or the musings of gifted and creative writers. I am reading the mind of God, communicated directly to human authors by God Himself, through His Holy Spirit. 

Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (CSB)

The dialogue is real. The stories we read about in the Bible actually happened. Since we know this, how will we respond to His message of redemption and salvation through faith and belief in Jesus Christ?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

https://youtube.com/shorts/2z-lXmdJWBk