Month: December 2022

“Hey! Thanks for referring Dr. Smith to me! He’s a great guy! You are so kind to think of me!”

“Welcome! Thanks for taking care of him!”

I was responding to a text message from a dermatology colleague to whom I recently referred another physician colleague who is also my close friend. Professional referrals are important in every occupation. Of the many ways one can show appreciation to a colleague, a referral to their practice is probably the most powerful. It is an affirmation of the trust that one has in another’s abilities, acknowledging that they are better qualified to complete the requested task. I can certainly attest to the good will it generates within myself when I receive a referral, particularly from a colleague whom I hold in high esteem.

There is no one who is held in higher esteem than Almighty God. What if God gave a referral? It would be the most supreme referral one could ever receive. Did this ever happen?

For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 

John 5:22-23 (NASB)

There is one God but three different Persons and each Person fulfills God’s purposes. The Father plans, the Son enacts, and the Holy Spirit reveals. In one of the most powerful statements about the nature of God, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, acknowledges that all judgment has been given to Him from God, the Father. Why did this happen? Jesus Christ came to earth and lived a life as a man. He was fully man and fully God. He accepted God’s plan to restore the relationship that sin had ruptured between God and man. He lived a sinless life and was condemned to die on the Cross, bearing the punishment for all the sins of mankind. Three days later, He was resurrected, forever conquering death for all who place their faith and trust in the Name of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Christ was given all judgment by God, the Father, because only He is qualified and able to forgive the sins that we commit, through His death and resurrection. It is the supreme referral. 

Praise God for His grace and mercy!

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

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I maneuvered my computer mouse, manipulating the digital image of a microscope slide on my computer screen. I was conducting a remote teaching conference for my dermatology residents and showing them a relatively common and benign skin tumor. 

“When you take your dermatology board examinations, the examiners will show you classic examples of this tumor. I am pointing out the key features you need to know to confidently make this diagnosis. However, this is a controlled scenario. In real life, there are subtle variations that may mimic cancer. You need to be prepared to encounter this. It’s just like training for martial arts. There are techniques you need to master to do well to advance in ranking and to compete in tournaments. However, in a real life street fight, there are other things you have to be concerned about and you may not be able to fight in the same manner. Expect the unexpected.”

Most martial arts disciplines teach a regimented routine of exercises and drills that a student must master if they desire to advance. These techniques will definitely teach one the basics of self defense. However, this is for a tournament, a controlled situation. In a real life street life, expect the unexpected. Multiple assailants. Unconventional weapons. The list is endless and one must continually be on guard for these deceptions. The same is true for our spiritual lives.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

Satan doesn’t play by the rules. He is the father of lies and has been a deceiver since the beginning. What we think is an innocent or mundane situation can quickly escalate to an opportunity for Satan to manipulate and twist into a sinful encounter. The casual teasing. The missed appointment. We have all experienced it. How do we prepare for these inevitable encounters? God gives us the answer in the next verses.

Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 

1 Peter 5:9-10 (NLT)

Expect the unexpected. God will equip us with all that we need to withstand the wiles of the devil. 

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

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I peered over the railing and surveyed the yawning chasm of the valley, created by an eons old river. It was inspiring and frightening. It brought to mind a verse from the book of Psalms.

Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. 

Psalms 42:7(NASB)

I have always loved this phrase, “deep calls to deep”. It has also been translated as the depth of the seas as another Bible translation states:

I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. 

Psalms 42:7 (NLT)

We have all experienced times when life overwhelms us. We may feel like we are underwater, desperately reaching for a lifeline to rescue us from our troubles and travails. The unexpected bad grade on an exam. The rejected application to graduate school. The promotion that was given to another. Divorce. How does God reach out to us?

But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. 

Psalms 42:8 (NLT)

No matter the depth of my sorrows, God answers and comforts. His love is wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anything we will ever experience. 

Deep calls to deep.

Praise God!

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

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“I need your advice about an OB-GYN.”

Our friend’s daughter was having her first child. She was excited but understandably anxious, dealing with so many different potential medical issues. She had information overload as numerous friends and family members were giving her advice how to best prepare. I reviewed the list of OB-GYNs that she had collected as well as their respective hospitals where they had delivery room privileges. I nodded my approval as I recognized many names. “Really, all of them are very good. It comes down to your personal connection with them. You’ll just have to meet them.” I paused for a moment and then said, “ I don’t want to alarm you but I think it is equally important to select a hospital that has an excellent neonatal service, preferably one with a good neonatal intensive care unit.”

She was puzzled. “Why?”

“Your OB will be taking care of you and the baby up to the time of the delivery but after that, it is in the hands of the hospital staff and pediatricians. If there are any complications, you want to make sure the hospital where you are delivering is well prepared.”

My friend eked out a smile as she attempted to assimilate this new information. There are few life events as stressful as preparing for a new child. From choosing the right OB-GYN, dealing with the physiological changes of pregnancy, to preparing a home for the new family member-any additional stressors are definitely not needed. She was doing everything possible to anticipate any problems that could occur. Over two thousand years ago, a young woman, also pregnant with her first child, did not have the benefit of such careful preparation. 

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was young, likely a teenager. She and her husband, Joseph, were poor. During the last weeks of her pregnancy, they were not in the safety and comfort of their home but had to travel to another city to register themselves for taxation. When Mary went into labor, they were unable to find an inn or the home of someone they knew. Desperate, she was forced to deliver in a manger, amidst dirty farm animals and drafty surroundings. There were no clean sheets or comfortable beds. Besides her husband, there were no friends or other family members. Unlike my friend’s daughter, there was no way Mary could have adequately prepared for this. Amplify the fear my friend’s daughter was experiencing a hundred fold! During these dark moments, did Mary remember the promise of God when He told her she would give birth to the Messiah?

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.” 

Luke 1:30 (NASB)

The Christmas story is a beautiful story of hope and the fulfillment of God’s promise to a lost world. Yet, superimposed upon this is a dark story of poverty, oppression, and fear. Like Mary, Christmas may also be a very stressful time for many of us. While we seek to honor God and rejoice in the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we all have many other obligations and distractions. Family commitments. Broken relationships. Illness. Financial hardship. 

For all who are experiencing stress during this Christmas season, take comfort in God’s message to Mary. Do not be afraid! God is in control. He loves us and desires to bless us through faith and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men  with whom He is pleased.

Luke 2:14 (NASB)

Merry Christmas!

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

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Several years ago, Brian Chesky, the current CEO of Airbnb, shared a story about advice that Jeff Bezos, then CEO of Amazon, was given by one of the greatest investors of all time, Warren Buffet. Bezos, in one of his first meetings with Buffett, asked him: “Your investing thesis is so simple. Why doesn’t everyone just copy you?”

“Because no one wants to get rich slowly,” Buffett replied.
Source: YouTube

For those who are unfamiliar with the investing style of Warren Buffet, he is a classic value investor. He is not distracted by current stock prices or making a quick profit. He invests in companies that have the potential to grow in value over decades. His success has made him one of the richest men in the world. His advice is sought after by numerous CEOs such as Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates.

Buffet’s advice is a variation of the proverb, “Slow and steady wins the race.” and “Haste makes waste.” This advice is also echoed by theologian, Dallas Willard, who states, “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”

It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.
Proverbs 19:2 (NET)

In today’s world, we have nearly instantaneous retrieval of information. However, this does not necessarily mean we need to immediately act upon this knowledge. If we seek to eliminate hurry from our lives, we must replace it with faith and trust in God. God should direct the pace of our actions. He is patient. After all, He is willing to offer salvation and eternal life to all who confess and repent of their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He does not force His will upon us but will hold out his offer until the moment we die. If we make that decision, the unimaginable riches of God’s Kingdom are ours.

Unlike Warren Buffet’s sage advice, we don’t have to get rich slowly when we follow God’s advice. Of course, God had it right from the beginning! 

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

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It is a lovely vista with spectacular modern high rises overlooking a pristine beach. This is Tel Aviv, in Israel. Modern. Wealthy. Cosmopolitan. What if someone offered you a chance to own the entire area for free? Who wouldn’t want to live in an idyllic playground like this? 

Source: Wikipedia

Thousands of years ago, God made such an offer to the tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of the kingdom of Israel. 

The seventh allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Dan. The land allocated as their homeland included the following towns: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, Elon, Timnah, Ekron, Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, Me-jarkon, Rakkon, and the territory across from Joppa. But the tribe of Dan had trouble taking possession of their land, so they attacked the town of Laish. They captured it, slaughtered its people, and settled there. They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor. 

Joshua 19:40-47 (NLT)

Source: Wikipedia

The map above shows the location of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Dan was tasked by God to take control of the land. However, they wavered in their faith and did not trust God to lead them to victory. They rejected God’s commands and instead attacked and conquered the town of Laish. It was located in the Northern Jordan river valley and renamed it Dan and eventually settled there, far away from the territory promised to them by God. Had Dan obeyed God’s commands, they would have lived in the location of modern day Tel-Aviv. God gave them one of the most pristine real estate properties in the world, and they rejected it!

When God blesses us with His promises, we should never hesitate to accept the task. Whatever obstacles we may face, we should trust God to fulfill His commands through us. Whether the blessing is a real estate location in one of the most valuable beachfront cities in the world, a new relationship, or a job, God is always faithful to us!

Amen.

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

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My father loved dogs. His last dog, whom he named Luvy, was very special to him. When she passed, he cremated her and instructed us to combine her ashes with his when he passed away. Many years later, we obeyed his last wish and scattered their combined ashes into the ocean. Luvy lived fourteen years, a relatively long time for a dog. I recall having conversations with my father about why dogs live such short lives. While there are biological reasons, no answer was ever satisfying to me.

Recently, I read a social media posting that gave the best answer I have ever read or heard. It was posted by a veterinarian, allegedly of a conversation between himself and a six-year old boy. The parents of the boy brought their 10 year old dog in to see the veterinarian. He broke the sad news that their dog was dying from cancer. Heartbroken, the parents agreed to have their dog euthanized but requested their six-year old son be allowed to participate so that he could learn from this experience. When the day arrived, the entire family solemnly witnessed the passing of their dog. Their son calmly accepted the event, much to the surprise of their parents. After the passing, the veterinarian and the parents wondered aloud why dog lives are so much shorter than humans. Their son spoke up, “I know why. People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The six-year old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay for as long as we do.”
Source: Facebook

Regardless of whether this story is true, the sentiment is real. Dogs love their owners with unconditional love. Every dog owner knows this. We should certainly learn from dogs. God gives us glimpses of His magnificence through His creation and animals are a vital connection. We are capable of love but it is an imperfect love, hindered or distorted by our sinful nature. What is real love?

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 

1 John 4:9-12 (NLT)

Although we have longer life spans than dogs, all of us live relatively short lives when compared to the expanse of eternity. God loves us unconditionally and offers us salvation and eternal life through faith and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ. In Him, we have the complete expression of love that all of us were created for and yearn to experience.

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

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His melodious voice filled the venerable concert hall. I was viewing a concert by one of the greatest singers of the twentieth century. Although the performance was lovely, it was a bittersweet moment for me. I have listened to numerous recordings of this great artist. This concert was recorded near the end of his career. He sang with great emotional energy but his voice could no longer carry the familiar tunes that endeared him to so many. 

If one were to judge his singing abilities on this performance alone, it would be mediocre at best. However, this would be unfair. He may have been a shadow of his former self but the audience and his millions of fans were there because of a lifetime of artistry and excellence that earned him his stellar reputation. His will and passion were unabated.

It is not only singers. Great leaders sometimes experience a decline in their power toward the end of their reigns. The Bible records the declining power of several great saints like King David who was continually shivering with cold in his old age. Isaac was nearly blind and feeble. While their physical strength was diminished, their spiritual power and energy were unabated. This physical decline is not inevitable. It is encouraging that at the end of his life, Moses was still vigorous.

So Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, just as the LORD had said. The LORD buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. 

Deuteronomy 34:5-7 (NLT)

Moses was a great leader. He led the nascent nation of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and took them to border of Canaan and the land promised to them by God. At an age that most of us will probably never attain, Moses was still going strong!

As we age, many of us may lose the strength and power of our youth. If this happens, pray that God will preserve your will and passion to serve Him. Delight yourself in God’s Word and He will prosper you.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 

Psalms 1:3 (NLT)

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

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“This will be very exciting and I am happy to be associated with this!”

Many years ago, I was asked to participate in a new skin cancer center associated with a local hospital. The medical director, Dr. Smith, was a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon and he wanted me, a dermatopathologist, to perform all of the diagnostic work. Because the cancer center would be part of the local hospital, it was agreed that I would join the medical staff and be credentialed as a member of the pathology department. I was acquainted with the president of the pathology group, Dr. Jake Rogers, through his stellar reputation in the community, and I was pleased to have an opportunity to work directly with him. 

For several weeks, I interacted with over a dozen different individuals involved with varying stages of the cancer center. Dr. Rogers was proactive in drafting a contract between his pathology group and myself before the others presented their contracts to me. As I reviewed the final draft, I was concerned about a detail which I had previously spoken to Dr. Smith. If I was ill or on vacation, I wanted to have my two dermatopathology colleagues, who work for me, also become credentialed, assuring there would always be coverage for the cancer center. I brought this up with Dr. Rogers on a phone call, asking if we could add this provision to our contract. His tone, usually cheerful, turned decidedly cold. “I understand you need coverage and this is something we need to work on.” He paused and then continued. “You know, I would appreciate it if you came to me first to discuss contractual issues. I am spearheading these talks and I don’t appreciate being pushed aside by you or anyone else. Dr. Smith is not overseeing your contract, I am.”

He was absolutely correct; I was chagrined. “I am very sorry, Jake. I meant no disrespect nor was I trying to sidestep you or go over your head. It is my naivete regarding this entire process.”

There were too many moving parts, too many voices, associated with this negotiation. There were hospital administrators,  medical staff, human resources, Jake’s pathology group, the laboratory manager, and Dr. Smith and his cancer center. I had separate verbal and email discussions with some but not everyone at the same time. Although ostensibly all of the discussions were to support the new cancer center, each party had their own agenda which were not all congruent.

Many voices pull us in different directions. Whether we are students, working in a job, or retired, life is often complicated by numerous competing interests. The Apostle Paul understood this. 

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 

2 Corinthians 11:24-29 (NLT)

In this passage, Paul defended his ministry and answered his critics at the church within the city of Corinth. If he seemed distracted or preoccupied, he was! He endured numerous physical trials and harsh persecution while shepherding the nascent church at Corinth. Yet, he never lost his focus. In fact, he welcomed any perceived weakness that he experienced because it was an opportunity to show others the power of Jesus Christ in his own life. 

If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 

2 Corinthians 11:30-31 (NLT)

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)

Unlike the Apostle Paul, who remained focused on the only voice that mattered, His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I lost control of my situation. I learned a painful lesson through those negotiations, distracted by the many voices clamoring for my attention, potentially jeopardizing the negotiation. How desperately I need the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ in my life to help me to remain focused on what is most important in every situation I encounter.

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

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