The Seventh Dip

I've been thinking recently about the fruitfulness of fruitlessness. Doesn't it seem at times that we take three steps forward and two steps back? As I was pondering this, a couple Bible stories come to mind. The first one is found in Luke 5. The disciples had toiled all night out on the open water to no avail. They caught no fish and returned to shore with empty nets. Jesus then said to them, "Launch out into the deep for a catch." Peter explained to the Master, "we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net. "
You probably know the story. The net was so full of fish they could barely bring it aboard. Often we focus on the great miracle of the catch, but I have been pondering the necessity of the fruitless night. It seems that we must learn to endure the arduous task of enduring the night of fruitlessness before God brings us to fruitfulness. The miracle shone brightly against the dark backdrop of futility.
There's another story in the Old Testament. A guy named Naaman had leprosy. He was instructed by a prophet, Elisha, that he would be healed if he would dip himself in the river Jordan seven times. At first Naaman was hesitant. It seemed too simple a thing to do to receive healing, but a servant convinced him he should at least try.
Naaman dipped himself seven times in the river and on the seventh dip he was healed. Again, many would focus on the seventh dip but my mind is drawn to the first six. I see the prinicple again, fruitlessness.
After the first dip there was nothing to show for Naaman's trouble. All he was was wet and maybe cold. How frustrating to apply yourself to something and have nothing productive to show for it! I wonder how many people quit after one dip. Give Naaman credit though, he dipped a second time. Again nothing. Cheat me once, shame on you, cheat me twice, shame on me. Surely after two dips and no results it is time to quit.
Naaman dipped a third time. I imagine that the voices on the shore began to encourage him to come out of the water. "Maybe this isn't the right place for you."
Naaman dipped a fourth time. Bystanders were probably offering advice on how to dip. Some were suggesting he attend a "dipping seminar."
Naaman dipped a fifth time. People were now walking away having concluded that Naaman would never be a successful dipper. It was obvious that he didn't have what it takes to reach the top of the dipping ladder. He would never be invited to speak on how to dip. No one would call asking for his steps to success. He had none. He was a failure at dipping. Many were now sure that he had missed his calling. He should obviously be doing something else. Who in their right mind would keep laboring like that with no results?
Naaman dipped a sixth time. Few people were left to watch this exercise in futility. They had long given up on a guy who wasn't in the "Who's Who" of dipping. He was becoming a joke now.
Naaman dipped a seventh time. When he came up out of the water, he was completely healed! Success at last. The question to ask yourself, "Which dip was the most important?"

Who Are the Happiest Workers?

The Yahoo! homepage posted a survey today of the the "top occupations in general happiness." According to the survey the happiest workers in the U.S. are...(drumroll, please) Clergy!
When I saw the title, I immediately wondered if clergy had been interviewed, and then I wondered if they made the list. I thought to myself, "I love my job. I get paid to talk about the thing I love most. How great is that!" But then I wondered if most pastors feel the same way about the ministry. Most that I know do.
I was very pleased that we topped the list. It only makes sense. As the Rev. Dr. Rick Wright states in the article, "With ministry I get to tie in my fundamental beliefs about God and life with what I do all day. So I get to work with people and assist them."
I became a pastor by accident. I just loved talking to people about the Lord. I was raised without knowing one thing about Christianity. All I knew about th Bible I learned through "Charlie Brown's Christmas." When I gave my life to Christ, He became so real to me that I felt I could sense His presence everywhere and see His glory in everything. I became a radical, fanatical, Bible-thumping believer. I just couldn't see how everyone couldn't see it.
That excitement for spiritual things carried over into every area of my life. At church, I just loved talking about the Bible, the Lord, and anything Heavenly. When I did, people would come up to me and say that I had helped them understand things in a new light. Eventually I was asked to Pastor a congregation. After much prayer, I felt that the Lord was indeed leading me into the ministry.
I have never regretted doing so. Sure, there have been times that I would liked to have "taken the wings of the morning and dwelt in the uttermost parts of the sea," but deep down inside I've always loved ministering to the Lord and His people.
So count me as one of those happy workers the article talks about. And if you have any questions about spiritual matters I love talking about it, not as one who thinks he has all the answers, but as one who has been captured by His beauty!