Coding, Managing and Christianity

Blessed be your name

This blog was meant to be about coding, management and Christianity. Lately it seems to turn more into thoughts about Christianity and how they apply to my life. At work I’m working on a prototype for an ETL solutions and I wanted to write about some of the challenges that go along with it. However, this post will be more on the spiritual side again. Maybe something technical next week.

During Sunday service we were singing “Blessed be Your name” by Matt Redman YouTube. It has some rhythm and the worship band did a great job engaging everyone. I was singing along and realized that before I never paid much attention to the lyrics. Here are some excerpts from it:

Every so often I get nervous and also feel guilty because my life has been, for the most part, pretty easy. I have been blessed in so many ways, be it with a wonderful wife and family, a job and colleagues I enjoy, and many friendships I value and treasure. The nervous or uneasy thoughts come from knowing that this can change every minute and the song reminded me about it. Things can change for the worse quickly be it through illness, changes in the economy, a disaster or whatever. The guilty part is about that the feeling that I don’t do nearly enough to spread the Gospel, but also just giving back, which could be in many ways.

Also this week I got an email from someone in Germany I was once close to. She talked about her life, all the hardships she had experienced and all the prayers she prayed that were not answered. She is someone hurting badly and in many ways not because of her own doing. I think also of the millions that died in numerous wars or concentration camps that didn’t do a thing to deserve it. I think of the book of Job where misfortune struck because God trusted Job and Satan wanted to proof his point. Poor Job becomes the victim of Satans attacks. Job complains to God and God answers from a cloud

“Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Job 38:2‭-‬7 NIV http://bible.com/111/job.38.2-7.NIV

We may doubt God, but what do we really know? Our perspective is far too limited to even begin to understand God’s plans. A thousand years are just a flicker for God, if he is even concerned about time, while for us it means 40 generations or so. However, there are a few things we do know

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 NIV http://bible.com/111/rom.8.28.NIV

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:10 NIV http://bible.com/111/jhn.15.10.NIV

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14 NIV https://psalm.bible/psalm-139-14

We are God’s children, he created us and we can be sure of his love for us, but that does not at all guarantee a pain free and happy life. To the contrary, pain is often necessary as he raises us up, teaches and disciplines us to form us more into his likeness. (Just to be clear I’m not saying that the sole reason for pain is God teaching us. It is just one of many). We know that there will be no more pain, when we are with God after our earthly life. Job was so fortunate that he got already blessed during his lifetime.

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years. Job 42:12‭, ‬14‭-‬17 NIV http://bible.com/111/job.42.12-17.NIV

The same could be the case when we preserver trough suffering and grow through it. Even, if we don’t see the fruit here on earth, God has all eternity to make it up to us. In God’s love I trust and at the same time hope and pray that I have the strength and character to praise and love God when the challenges come and to grow through them.