HAVE YOU SCHEDULED YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GOD?

For most of my career, I had anything but a predictable work schedule. I might work day shift one day, night shift the next, and then back to day shift. Sometimes I would wake up long before the sun came up. Other days I would still be awake from the night before when the new day dawned. For too long I let my work schedule and the lack of a routine be an excuse that explained my inability to consistently spend dedicated time with God and His Word each day. "If I just had a predictable routine," I would say to myself, "THEN, I would carve out some time for God and be consistent in the Word."

SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT MY POSSIBLE CAREER FAILURE?

Last week I spoke with my job placement officer about my career progression and potential for future advancement. He told me that the numbers are not looking good for me to be selected for my next career milestone (Department Head) when the board meets in April. Until then, I'm taking a hard look at all my options and trying to figure out what to do. 

WHAT WILL YOUR LIFE'S STORY LOOK LIKE?

I've recently been reading a couple of books (Chronicles and Kings) in the Bible that give a short life summery on each of the ancient kings of Israel and Judah. The authors say how old they were when they became king, how long they reigned, and if they "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" or "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." The write-ups go on to give a varying degree of details from each of their lives.

The passages never judge the kings' reign on their work ethic, job performance, or effectiveness in defeating enemies. Rather, these kings are judged almost exclusively on if they followed God or followed their own desires and embraced idols. All of these kings were Jews and most practiced some degree of the Jewish religion. But only a few were deemed to have lived their lives in such a way that earned them the distinction of having done what was right in the eyes of the Lord.