The Devotional - A Look at the Book #593

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #593

What Papa “J” has to say! #14

I remember my dad worked as a butcher and was paid seventy cents per hour. His take home pay was twenty one dollars per week. Today many people earn twenty one dollars per hour and still expect a hand out from the government! This too is blight on Freedom and Liberty.

The Devotional

When I went aboard my first submarine I was very excited, it was nearing winter in Holy Lock, Scotland and the November wind was making the water around the sub dance. The ship seemed to be a little restless as strained on the mooring lines; as if it wanted to go back to sea. I had already met the crew since I came on board during the Gold Crews training and off time back in Groton, Connecticut. My first sub was a “boomer” short for ballistic missile subs. I went below decks to meet the Blue Crew person who would turn over his job to me. Like me, he was a Storekeeper First Class; there was this one difference… he was a qualified submarine sailor and I was non-qualified. It would be nearly a year before I became qualified and this too was an exciting moment in time. In four days our turn over was complete and the Blue Crew was leaving to return to Groton. In less than a month we would take the sub out to sea just as the Blue Crew did and if all went well we would return in ninety days, ready to give the ship back to the Blue Crew. One thing I found funny about these two crews is that I noticed that both the Blue and the Gold crews believed in a third crew. When something went wrong and may caused a shame of face moment to the crew (Blue or Gold) as a whole… we would blame the error on the “other crew” I am not sure what color that crew was; but they sure made a lot of mistakes. Come to think of it… shame of face is normally red.

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – About ten years ago there was a book written called the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. He references the book of Ecclesiastes chapter three; twice. Now I am not being critical since most everything he says about the purpose of living is backed by scripture and the book is relevant to our day in the United States. The backbone of our nation is nearly crushed because the identity of the American way has lost its purpose for living. The two verses of chapter three are verse one and eleven.

Under heaven there is only time; for heaven there is only eternity, now stand easy you may not like what I have to say! There is a time to be born; a child born out of wedlock is the wrong time and purpose. All humans die; the good the bad and those in between. Murder and suicide are the wrong times and purposes for death. Just as there is a time to kill, to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up. There are times and purposes for everything under the sun and when we take them away from the appointment of living. Purpose dissipates!

We read these verses of scripture over the course of life many times and every time I do, I am struck with awe. God reminds me that I lack purpose for living as does my family because we have pushed our lives outside the safety net of purpose for living and is it too late? No! With the LORD there is nothing impossible. Talk to the LORD about living in time with purpose and He will direct your path. Psalm 119:1-150 (See verse 105)