The blessed meditates on God’s law day and night. The blessed prospers. The cursed, like chaff, is blown away by the wind. The Lord watches over the just. The wicked are on their own and eventually vanish. The psalmist concludes that the blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Thursday of the Second Week in Lent

Jeremeiah 17:5-10

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

L uke 16:19-31 "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. (20) And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores, (21) who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (22) The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; (23) and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom. (24) And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' (25) But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he  is comforted here, and you are in anguish. (26) And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' (27) And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, (28) for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' (29) But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' (30) And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' (31) He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

Meditation

H ave you ever heard of someone who spent years of preparation for one vocation only to end up doing something completely different? Perhaps this could be said of you. Quite often we have in our minds what we believe we want to do only to have a course correction. Often the course correction comes through a major crisis that forces us into an area that we would never have considered.

Such was the case for Samuel Morse. Born in 1791, Morse grew up desiring to be an artist, and he eventually became very talented and internationally known. However, it was difficult to make a living as an artist in America during that time. A series of crises further complicated his vocational desire when his wife died; then his mother and father also died soon after. He went to Europe to paint and reflect on his life. On his return trip aboard a ship, he was captivated by discussions at dinner about new experiments in electromagnetism. During that important occasion, Morse made the following comment, "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted by electricity." In the face of many difficulties and disappointments, he determinedly perfected a new invention, and, in 1837, applied for a patent that became what we know today as the telegraph. He also created Morse code. It was only later, after many more setbacks and disappointments, that his projects received funding.

Samuel Morse later commented, "The only gleam of hope, and I cannot underrate it, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence ." Morse went on to create several other inventions and can be recognized today as the father of faxes, modems, e-mail, the internet and other electronic communication. ["Glimpses," Issue #99 (Worcester, Pennsylvania: Christian History Institute, 1998).]

God's plans may not always seem to follow our natural inclination. Perhaps God has you taking a path that may not lead to His ultimate destination for you. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all you do, and He shall direct your path (see Prov. 3:5-6). --OS Hillman