Divine Simplicity Focus on the things that matter…sweep aside the things that don't.

Losing a job has been compared to losing a loved one. There is an initial period of mourning that has to be gotten through before one can get on with life. You will quickly discover that life goes on, even after becoming unemployed. All of the personal and family affairs that required your attention before losing your job are still there waiting for you in the wake of your loss. Mourning is part of the healing process–it’s OK to mourn.  However, the quicker you can get through the mourning the better off you’ll be.

The 12th chapter of the book of Second Samuel describes how King David had the great warrior Uriah murdered because he lusted for Uriah’s wife Bathsheba. With Uriah out of the way, David adulterously took Bathsheba for himself. She subsequently gave birth to David’s son. Not long after the baby was born, the prophet Nathan visited David. He told him that the child would die. Only a short time later the child became ill. During the illness, David begged God’s forgiveness and mourned what he knew was God’s judgment for his sins. On the seventh day the child died. Upon hearing of its passing, David arose, bathed, put on clean clothes, went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. His example shows us it’s possible turn a period of mourning into a period of worship, repentance and restoration.

William Bartram was a 19th century American naturalist born in Pennsylvania. He traveled much of the United states, observing nature and recording what he saw. Bartram wrote of his life’s experience, “On the recollection of so many and great favors and blessings, I now, with a high sense of gratitude, presume to offer up my sincere thanks to the Almighty, the Creator and Preserver.”

If you’ve recently lost a job, resist the urge to crawl inside yourself and mourn, which only leads into a dark pit. Instead, get on with life as quickly possible. Establish a daily routine and get to work finding that next job. Meanwhile, as William Bartram suggests, pause daily to thank our Creater and Preserver for the blessings you still have in life, recognizing that all blessings come from God!

Psalm 145, God’s Majesty and Love:
I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I[a] will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.[b]
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10 All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.[c]
14 The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

Today’s Lenten Prayer: a prayer for those who mourn
Bless those who mourn, eternal God, with the comfort of your love,
that they may face each new day with hope and the certainty,
that nothing can destroy the good that has been given.
May their memories become joyful,
their days enriched with friendship,
and their lives encircled by your love. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Samuel 12:15-23 the death of King David’s infant son
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2012:15-23&version=NKJV