As a teacher, I need certain credentials on my resume. An employer would be interested in my knowledge of curriculum, instructional practices, and classroom management and discipline. On the other hand, two of my brothers are carpenters and their resumes look incredibly different from mine. I’m sure they wouldn’t be the least bit interested in state standards. And trust me, you don’t want me holding a power tool. (Let’s just say there may have been a time when damage was done…) There’s definitely a skillset to every profession.
So I couldn’t help thinking, God doesn’t need a resume. He is perfectly qualified to do multiple jobs simultaneously. Here’s one: Store Manager. “The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the Heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand.” (Deuteronomy 28:12) Here’s two from Psalm 23: Counselor and Chef. “He guides me along the right path for His name sake,” and “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Another job: Physician. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3) Next job: teacher. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) Here’s another: Secret Service Agent. “The Lord will keep you from all harm-He will watch over your life. (Psalm 127:1)
God’s job titles are too numerous to recount. But there’s one that can never be left off any list: Savior. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) His qualifications speak for themselves, everything you ever needed can be found in Christ Jesus. Simply stated: choose life.
The wind was at my back today as I set out for a ride on the trail. With the sun in my face and a bright blue sky above me, my attitude soared with each passing mile. Fall’s splendor surrounded me in gorgeous displays of color. When I made the turn to come home however, the ride became decidedly harder. It seemed like everything conspired against me to keep me from my destination: the wind at my face, fatigue, and a steady rise in the road. I wanted to stop and rest but instead I put my head down, pushed on, and hoped to make it to my house as soon as possible. Then suddenly it happened, I turned onto my street, and I was never happier to see my driveway leading me into my home.
Have you ever tried to restore an old piece of furniture? It’s not easy. This summer my niece found an old beat-up dresser at a barn sale. Somehow that old dusty, paint-peeling specimen of furniture found its way into my garage. The first thing I did was wipe the cobwebs and dust it off to see what it looked like underneath, (not a lot better, truth be told). The hinges were crooked, the paint was peeling, and some of the handles were missing. So I scraped, sanded, and scrubbed it; then began the slow process of painting it layer by layer. It took awhile and I had to backtrack a few times, but today the sparkling white dresser sits in my niece’s bedroom with shiny new handles and a whole new outlook on life.
If I want a picture of steadfastness, I know where to go. The Sentinels who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. fit the picture. They protect the tomb in every kind of weather-including torrential rains, blizzards, and Washington’s relentlessly hot summers. The Sentinels are completely dedicated to their mission-guarding and ‘watching the back’ of the unknown soldier. The Society of the Honor Guard reports: “It gets cold, it gets hot and the mission continues as it has unbroken since 1937.” Just imagine, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every minute of every day and every minute of every night, standing firm. The Sentinels exemplify Corinthians 4:2, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
A very unusual phenomenon happened this week in our area-a number of schools were cancelled for the whole day because of fog. The adults were certainly surprised but the kids were nothing but excited. Not snow, not freezing rain, but fog kept them at home! Kids love an extra day off from school. Could it happen again? Some teachers told the students it’s unlikely but the students refused to believe it. Why? They were filled with hope. 
It’s that time of year when many people are exploring corn mazes. The corn maze is a giant puzzle you walk in that leads you through loops, curves, and sometimes even to a dead end. You could get turned around, you might circle back to places you’ve already seen, or you may even get lost. Most mazes are open only during the day, but occasionally one will be open after dark and you are navigating by a flashlight or the moon, which just adds to the challenge. Corn mazes are designed for entertainment, but when life gets puzzling, it’s not fun.
My mom likes to put challenging 1,000 piece puzzles together. She had one with old-fashioned tea cups where almost every single cup had gold rims and small blue and pink flowers. Another one was a solid picture of sprinkled and frosted doughnuts which, quite honestly, just made me hungry. Her most recent puzzle is a football stadium packed with fans (Are you kidding me?). When she dumps a box out I can’t help but think it will never come together, because it’s just a jumbled mess that doesn’t look like anything promising. And yet every time, little by little, a picture begins to form. It doesn’t happen overnight and mom has to keep working at it, but each time the final picture is simply quite amazing.
Everyone should have an inner circle of friends. We need people we can be real with: straight up honesty-hold nothing back-no judgment-and total freedom. It’s the trust, support, and love that make these friends so valuable. With life’s schedules it’s challenging to find the time, but the effort spent with a good friend is always worth it. I visited one such friend last night and all we did was sit around a campfire sharing life, giving support, and laughing with abandon. There’s something special about not having to dress up and ‘put on airs,’ to be able to wear those worn jeans and that comfortable t-shirt, and to have no expectations but a simple visit. That kind of friend is valuable.
Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq are a few places listed on my friend’s resume. TJ’s a colonel in the United States Army and has also served her country faithfully during Desert Storm and at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Her resume is littered with impressive honors, strong leadership, and passionate pursuits. There aren’t many challenges that will intimidate a soldier of her standing but one duty still makes her nervous: briefing a general. There’s something about all those stars on his uniform that gives her pause. Even with rigorous research, scrutiny of information, and extensively rehearsing the speech, her heart still races when she approaches the general’s office. So she leans in. Psalm 86:7, “In the day of trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.” Even a strong colonel needs the support of an Almighty God.
My 2 year old nephew Benjamin is fascinated by the leaves blowing in the trees and the wind coming through the doorway. When I told him it was just the wind he said, “What’s that?” (I’d like to say I gave him an impressive, scholarly answer but my first response was “Uh…Well…Hmm…”) How do you explain what you can’t see? Here’s what you do, show the evidence. I bought him a giant blue pinwheel and we watched it spin, we looked at the swaying trees in the yard, and we watched the wind move the clouds. Even though we explored the concept, the wind still remained a bit of a mystery. But the evidence confirmed its existence, so we absolutely believed it was there.