From a student to a doctor
To my friend and soon to be colleague
It has been a pleasure to do bible study with you for the last 4 years. And to see you grow from strength to strength in the Lord Psalms 84:7. In a few more months , you will graduate from medical school. I write this so you will recognise the major spiritual pitfalls in a doctor’s working life. I know many Christian colleagues to have been caught in the thorns of life and have stagnated in their spiritual growth Matthew 13:22
In this bible study session I will talk about
1 Dating & Marriage
2 Work, Bread & Rest cycle
3 Complaining
4 Money
5 Retirement
I will discuss from a biblical perspective. Only Christians who believe in the bible can appreciate this discussion. Others will find my view riddled with contradictions and impractical.
1. Dating and marriage
The most important decision in life is to accept Christ
For many of us the next important decision is to marry the spouse God has appointed because your spouse is your helper in this life.
One of the biggest pitfall in a Christian life is not to seek God's direction in marriage. We are easily over come by sexual temptation or lust. This is one sin we cannot face head on or resist. The only way to overcome lust is flee. Don’t be near it, court it and of course don’t taste it. Great men have fallen because of sexual sin. Paul gave this advice to young Timothy
2 Timothy 2:2
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
When you become a doctor, you might be seen as a prize catch by some female colleagues, doctors, nurses and pharmacist. Girls see potential mates differently from guys and a title Dr is a big plus. There will be bold ladies who will try to get warm with you. It can difficult to ignore their attention. If you don’t think it is God’s plan for your life, just say ‘No’ from the start and avoid spending unnecessary time with them.
A common misconception among Christians looking for a life partner is that dating evangelism is ok. This is a lie. Bible has many examples of God’s people marrying foreigners who worship other gods, and this resulted in them turning away from God. There is no loophole in the bible to allow a believer to marry an unbeliever. If you desperately seek to find a verse in the bible to allow you to marry a non believer, you will find none. Though once married, divorce is not allowed 1Corinthians 7:12-16,39
Common verses advising a Christian not to marry a unbeliever.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
And can a non-believing spouse accept the the instructions for husband and wife in 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 & 1 Peter 3:1-7? A non believing spouse might just understand these to be ideals of a good marriage and not a command from God
2. Work, Bread & Rest Cycle
To work, receive bread ( sustenance for life or wages ) for our work and rest is God's design. Not to understand the nature of these 3 and their relation is another major pitfall in working life. A wrong idea or expectation of either will result in great frustration.
Nature of Work
Everyone says work is tough. Some jobs are tougher than others. Being a doctor is really tough. No work is a easy. The origin of tough work is found in Genesis 3
Genesis 3:17-19
17 Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
Contents of God’s curse and its consequence
· The ground is cursed by God because of Adam’s sin
· Working conditions / ground will have many difficulties, the thorns & thistles, so work will be tough, the painful toil & sweat of your brow
· Adam will need to work for his life sustenance
· He needed to work his whole life
The ground is cursed. Not Adam, not work and not the food (bread). But because our bodies are made from the ground, our work is tied to the ground and our food is from the ground, we feel the effect of God's curse. Just as Adam passed the nature of sin to us, we have also inherited the cursed earth and its consequences. The curse in v17 was repeated again twice in v18 & 19. God wants to emphasize to Adam the consequence of sin. Though life is tough, God did not abandon us. God still provided the conditions of Adam’s work – the sun, rain, nature of soil. And God still provides for us.
Relationship of Work and Bread
Bread has several meanings in the bible and they all refer to a form of sustenance. Bread has been described as a physical food, a spiritual food and Jesus Himself.
Matthew 6:11 - The Lord's prayer
Give us today our daily bread
The words today and daily are a repetition. The Lord prayer tells us it is good to receive our bread one day at a time. This recurring theme of daily bread is repeated a few times in the OT and NT. It means God supplies our needs daily or on short terms. Referring back to Genesis 3, God told Adam that he needed to work to sustain his own life . As long there is life on earth, there will be a cycle between work and bread. And it is a short cycle. I myself receive my salary monthly, so my work bread cycle is a monthly one. There are daily waged workers. And farmers harvest once to a few times a year depending on the crops.
Then what about long term work? Building projects, research, studies? My opinion is that although the end point is far away, the work is still daily and the pay has to be regular. It is wrong to pay the builders only when the building is completed or when the researcher shouts eureka. Though “Our daily bread” does not necessarily argue that all Christians should go for jobs with a regular pay. For example students are supported by parents or loans. Their parents work supply the needs for the students. Or in the case of loans, the students are just delaying the payment which has to be paid by work in future.
Matthew 6:25-34
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus says we are to live and only worry one day at a time because God knows our needs and takes care of us. Just like the birds, flowers and grass, they live one day at a time and is sustained by God. But we still need to worry because that’s part of life struggles, yet Jesus is merciful. He tells us we just need to worry about today & there is no need to worry too much. This reminds of my psychiatry introduction course on anxiety, I was taught to differentiate normal anxiety and pathological anxiety. The correct amount of anxiety or worry can be motivator. But too much of it causes dysfunction
The much quoted performance arousal graph better explains this
To my friend and soon to be colleague
It has been a pleasure to do bible study with you for the last 4 years. And to see you grow from strength to strength in the Lord Psalms 84:7. In a few more months , you will graduate from medical school. I write this so you will recognise the major spiritual pitfalls in a doctor’s working life. I know many Christian colleagues to have been caught in the thorns of life and have stagnated in their spiritual growth Matthew 13:22
In this bible study session I will talk about
1 Dating & Marriage
2 Work, Bread & Rest cycle
3 Complaining
4 Money
5 Retirement
I will discuss from a biblical perspective. Only Christians who believe in the bible can appreciate this discussion. Others will find my view riddled with contradictions and impractical.
1. Dating and marriage
The most important decision in life is to accept Christ
For many of us the next important decision is to marry the spouse God has appointed because your spouse is your helper in this life.
One of the biggest pitfall in a Christian life is not to seek God's direction in marriage. We are easily over come by sexual temptation or lust. This is one sin we cannot face head on or resist. The only way to overcome lust is flee. Don’t be near it, court it and of course don’t taste it. Great men have fallen because of sexual sin. Paul gave this advice to young Timothy
2 Timothy 2:2
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
When you become a doctor, you might be seen as a prize catch by some female colleagues, doctors, nurses and pharmacist. Girls see potential mates differently from guys and a title Dr is a big plus. There will be bold ladies who will try to get warm with you. It can difficult to ignore their attention. If you don’t think it is God’s plan for your life, just say ‘No’ from the start and avoid spending unnecessary time with them.
A common misconception among Christians looking for a life partner is that dating evangelism is ok. This is a lie. Bible has many examples of God’s people marrying foreigners who worship other gods, and this resulted in them turning away from God. There is no loophole in the bible to allow a believer to marry an unbeliever. If you desperately seek to find a verse in the bible to allow you to marry a non believer, you will find none. Though once married, divorce is not allowed 1Corinthians 7:12-16,39
Common verses advising a Christian not to marry a unbeliever.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
And can a non-believing spouse accept the the instructions for husband and wife in 1 Corinthians 11:7-10 & 1 Peter 3:1-7? A non believing spouse might just understand these to be ideals of a good marriage and not a command from God
2. Work, Bread & Rest Cycle
To work, receive bread ( sustenance for life or wages ) for our work and rest is God's design. Not to understand the nature of these 3 and their relation is another major pitfall in working life. A wrong idea or expectation of either will result in great frustration.
Nature of Work
Everyone says work is tough. Some jobs are tougher than others. Being a doctor is really tough. No work is a easy. The origin of tough work is found in Genesis 3
Genesis 3:17-19
17 Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
Contents of God’s curse and its consequence
· The ground is cursed by God because of Adam’s sin
· Working conditions / ground will have many difficulties, the thorns & thistles, so work will be tough, the painful toil & sweat of your brow
· Adam will need to work for his life sustenance
· He needed to work his whole life
The ground is cursed. Not Adam, not work and not the food (bread). But because our bodies are made from the ground, our work is tied to the ground and our food is from the ground, we feel the effect of God's curse. Just as Adam passed the nature of sin to us, we have also inherited the cursed earth and its consequences. The curse in v17 was repeated again twice in v18 & 19. God wants to emphasize to Adam the consequence of sin. Though life is tough, God did not abandon us. God still provided the conditions of Adam’s work – the sun, rain, nature of soil. And God still provides for us.
Relationship of Work and Bread
Bread has several meanings in the bible and they all refer to a form of sustenance. Bread has been described as a physical food, a spiritual food and Jesus Himself.
Matthew 6:11 - The Lord's prayer
Give us today our daily bread
The words today and daily are a repetition. The Lord prayer tells us it is good to receive our bread one day at a time. This recurring theme of daily bread is repeated a few times in the OT and NT. It means God supplies our needs daily or on short terms. Referring back to Genesis 3, God told Adam that he needed to work to sustain his own life . As long there is life on earth, there will be a cycle between work and bread. And it is a short cycle. I myself receive my salary monthly, so my work bread cycle is a monthly one. There are daily waged workers. And farmers harvest once to a few times a year depending on the crops.
Then what about long term work? Building projects, research, studies? My opinion is that although the end point is far away, the work is still daily and the pay has to be regular. It is wrong to pay the builders only when the building is completed or when the researcher shouts eureka. Though “Our daily bread” does not necessarily argue that all Christians should go for jobs with a regular pay. For example students are supported by parents or loans. Their parents work supply the needs for the students. Or in the case of loans, the students are just delaying the payment which has to be paid by work in future.
Matthew 6:25-34
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus says we are to live and only worry one day at a time because God knows our needs and takes care of us. Just like the birds, flowers and grass, they live one day at a time and is sustained by God. But we still need to worry because that’s part of life struggles, yet Jesus is merciful. He tells us we just need to worry about today & there is no need to worry too much. This reminds of my psychiatry introduction course on anxiety, I was taught to differentiate normal anxiety and pathological anxiety. The correct amount of anxiety or worry can be motivator. But too much of it causes dysfunction
The much quoted performance arousal graph better explains this
Work , Bread and Rest cycle
God used an excellent example in Exodus 16 to teach the Israelites the work, bread & rest cycle
Here we have the story of God providing manna to the Israelites.
God used an excellent example in Exodus 16 to teach the Israelites the work, bread & rest cycle
Here we have the story of God providing manna to the Israelites.
Moses instructions
15 “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” |
Bread is provided by God
But people had to work to get the bread. And they only need to work enough for one day to provide for themselves and their families |
People response
17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. |
It is a miracle that everyone gathered enough for themselves. Those who worked more wasted their time. |
Do not keep the bread
19 Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. |
The daily bread idea of Matthew 6:11 was first introduced here
God wants to emphasize bread is daily We work for today. Tomorrow is a new day. Just to be clear, this verse does not prohibit planning in advance |
Moses instruction on rest
23 ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’” |
God orders rest from work.
Rest is from God, both an instruction and a necessity Our work that God gives us is enough to cover our bread , even for a rest day. |
Overgathering
22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much—two omers for each person 24 So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it.27 Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. |
Greedy people who tried to work on the rest day God instructed, found their efforts futile |
Nature of Rest
Our bodies need rest. I don't need any evidence based medicine research to proof that. But some of doctors think otherwise. They work hard and continuously. Long hours, shift work, night duties, residency / traineeship, family commitments. A common remark is " I just don't have enough time"
Exodus 20 8-11 : The 4th commandment
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
I believe rest is so important that God parked it under the 4th Commandment. And the commandment further explained God has already instituted the idea of rest from the beginning of creation through His personal example of a 6 day creation. Otherwise God could have just created everything in an instant. We are not Jews. We are Christians under a better law. One that is written in our hearts and in it, the old laws of Moses are also fulfilled. See Hebrews 8, 10:16-18. Though we not compelled to observe a Jewish type Sabbath day, it is good to rest at least 1 day a week. Our bodies are not meant to work continuously. If we do, there will always be a price to pay in the end. It could come in the form of a physical ailment, a emotional breakdown or spiritual backsliding. I also believe in taking occasional short breaks like going for a holiday and travelling on top of the 6:1 work rest cycle to recharge myself. In many illnesses, rest is part of the treatment. I order rest (medical leave, light duty) for flu, injuries even emotional stress. And I do hope my patients use my medical leave and take a break from their work to recover.
Sabbath is also not just rest from work. Sabbath is also a special day to worship the Lord and we should keep it holy.
Other points to complete the idea of work
· Work is holy. God works too John 5:17, Romans 8:28. Even before sin, God gave Adam work Genesis 2:15
· God's work for us is a blessing and we can enjoy it Deuteronomy 15:10, Psalm 90:17, Ecclesiasts 3:22.
· Our responsibility is to work hard so God can given us our bread and rest. Psalm 128:2, Proverbs 12:11, Proverbs 14:23, 2 Thessalonians 3:10.
· And God remembers our work for Him. Matthew 25:31-46, John 6:27, 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, Hebrews 6:10,
· It is an understatement in our society that no work means no income and no real rest. It is a terrible thing to be unemployed or waste away our days in idleness.
Summary
· Work, bread & rest are God given and is necessary
· We need to work for our living
· Expect difficult working conditions
· We need timely rest from work
· We must trust God that our work is sufficient because He takes care of us
· So there is no need to overwork.
· So there is no need to worry about tomorrow
· All these sounds contradicting if we exclude God from the equation
3 Complaining - about work
Many a times I have heard Christian doctors complaining about their work. Doctoring is a noble profession. The privilege to study medicine and work as a doctor is God given. The best examples of complainers are the Israelites in the wilderness. God took great care of them, see Deuteronomy 29:5 but still there were many accounts of their complaints against God and his providence
Here are a list of their complaints about God
Exodus 14:11-12 When Pharaoh army was chasing them
Exodus 15:23-24 , 17:1-2, Numbers 21:5 When they were thirsty
Exodus 16:2-3 When they were hungry
Exodus 32:1 When Moses left them for a short time
Numbers 11:4 When they wanted meat
Numbers 14:1, 16:41 When God disciplined them for disobedience
After series of complaints about Him, God would punish them. God’s final punishment was to prevent the 1st generation of Israelites from entering the Canaan and He fulfilled their idle comments that they would die in the dessert.
Complaining is a godless pastime. We usually complain when we are idle and start becoming bitter about our fate. Every good gift comes from God James 1:17. Complaining about God and His plans for lives means we do not believe in Him but believe we can do better without Him. Complaining denies that God is sovereign; complaining forgets that God can turn negative circumstances for the best in our lives and to demonstrate His glory. I understood the sinfulness of complaining when I became a dad. Many times my kids will complain about how we parents don’t love them enough. Sometimes my kids will request for stuff and when they get it, they complain it is not exactly what they wanted. My kids can complain continuously and loudly that I feel like giving them a good scolding or spanking for being ungrateful. And after tolerating their complaints for some time, I actually do just that. I am less patient than God. Numbers 14:18
Complaining is different from telling God about our life troubles. David was able to talk to tell God about his problems three times a day and he knew God heard him. See Psalms 55:17
So don’t complain if your work is hard, because it will be. Don’t complain that your boss or colleagues are difficult to work because everyone is a sinner. Don’t make God angry by complaining about Him or His plan for your life. Don’t invite Him to scold or spank you.
4 Money - is bread
How much money do we need? Or how much bread can we eat?
Here is the famous verse on love of money
1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The 10th commandent in Exodus 20:17 is similar to 1 Timothy 6:10
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
The concept of work, bread & rest is again applied in the following passages. Dreaming of being rich and having an easy life is not part of God’s plan for us
Luke 12:19-20 The Rich Fool
And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
James 4:13-14
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
The following 2 passages recognize all we have is from God. So is the amount of money we possess.
John 3:27
To this John replied, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. "
1 Samuel 2:7
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
The recommended wealth Christians should have lies between poverty and riches. The range between poverty and riches can be wide. The idea between to these 2 limits is to prevent our material possession or lack of it from interfering with our relationship with God
Proverbs 30:8-9
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
A Christian trying to be rich is wasting his efforts. If God is merciful, He will prevent this person from being too rich. If God allows him to become rich either it is because that’s God plan for his life or it is a punishment for his disobedience. He will be punished with the many griefs of 1 Timothy 6:10. His wealth will come as a cost greater than his efforts because God’s curse in Genesis 3 makes the nett effect of life a suffering.
Psalms 90:9-10 is a prayer of Moses when he was old, realizing life is suffering
All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
An equation of suffering
This is my personal interpretation of suffering. I linked up a few verses up in an equation for easy understanding
This equation applies to all human life under the sun or life on earth. Ecclesiastes 1:3
Sum total of life = suffering Ps 90:9 = meaningless Ecclesiastes 1:3
Sum total of life ≠ pleasure
∴ Griefs 1 Timothy 6:10 > pleasures in life Ecclesiates 2:1-11
Suffering = Griefs – pleasure
Griefs and pleasures of life can be found in material possessions or wealth, health conditions, standing in society or status, family & random events
It has been proven from social surveys that happiness is correlated to being rich, good health, respect in society or work place, stable family relations.
∴ Sum total of life = Suffering = Wealth + health + status + family + random events (QED)
What does this mean?
If you add up all the events in your life, at the end of life, the sum effect is suffering. No one can truly say I have enjoyed my life more than I suffered. But some people suffer more than others. When we envy someone, we are usually just looking at one point in time and only at 1 category of life. Eg I envy an accomplished surgeon. The surgeon may have more wealth and status than me. But he may have health or family issues that I do not know. Pleasure is a delicate state of being. Many events in life can reduce pleasure to suffering. Many of these do not belong in the wealth category or status. For example, a terminal illness, chronic pain, a mental illness like major depression ( one of its DSM IV criteria is diminished pleasure), a divorce, a death of a love one,a wayward child can bring greater pain than winning a lottery. Read up the lives of the rich and famous and to verify my equation. To envy is like a beggar telling another beggar with a few more dollars. " You are rich"
Then logically, the more worldly pleasures we experience in this life, the more sufferings we will have. This equation explains 1 Timothy 6:10. If my main goal is to enjoy life on earth and to accumulate material luxuries for pleasure, God will react in a way to bring back the suffering. The greater the luxury and self seeking joy, the greater God’s response. Just like in Newton’s 3rd law, for every action, there is an equal and opposite
However we as Christians have Jesus and eternal life. Both of which are beyond this equation because they are not under the sun.
We have
Peace that does not belong to this world John 14:27
Hope in the after life 1 Thelessonians 4:13-18, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Joy in the Lord Romans 5:1-4, Philippians 4:4, Pslam 28:7 ( Joy in the Lord ≠ material pleasures )
You might ask how then do I balance the suffering equation in my life? The answer I don’t. Having meditated on this question like King Solomon in Ecclesiastes, I have decided that the mechanism of life is just too complicated. So I just try to obey God’s word and let Him balance the equation of my life. I have come to the same conclusion as Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13. I have learnt not to outsmart this equation. Just like me taking care of my own body. I don’t smoke, I watch my diet, do some exercises and trust God to do the rest. We know there exists nearly countless body processes that our medicine textbooks write about and then some more. We have no control of most of these processes that determine health. Despite my best efforts, my middle age body suffers and I can feel it breaking down over the years. There is no better way until I leave my life under the sun and receive my new body- 2 Corinthians 5.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Though life is not easy, we need not suffer unnecessarily. Jesus says in
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus tells us to take on His yoke ( His plan for our lives ); not the world's yoke and definitely not no yoke. We can’t escape from work. If we take Jesus’ yoke, our life will be easy and God will give us rest. God’s rest as that mentioned in the work, bread & rest cycle. God’s rest is both a physical rest and a spiritual rest. And theologically when we are saved, we enter God’s rest because we need not work for our salvation. The world only tempts us to work harder with promises of a better bread( more money )and better rest but no guarantees of either. The world tempts like a lottery, tempting but never giving
If you think you are poor, consider Paul’s words
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
A good attitude to wealth is again from Paul
Philippians 4
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
5 Retirement - is a wrong idea of rest
Planning for retirement is a major worry for working people. Today we think of retirement as having a well deserved break after a few decades of work. Current retirement idea is a modern concept. Modern financial teaching and media portrays retirement years as the golden years of our lives. We are exposed to images of the elderly playing golf, travelling and dining in restaurants. In the past, retirement was meant for people who were no longer healthy, physically strong or mentally capable to continue in their vocation. If you had understood the work, bread, & rest cycle, this is not possible. Voluntary retirement is a luxury. Most people in the world will not be able to finance a retirement. Many of my retired patients are in retirement because they are unemployed due to age or forced into retirement because of mounting medical problems.
You will surprised that the bible never discusses retirement. In Genesis 3 , God told Adam to work his whole life.. That also meant God gave Adam health to work till he died. God did not tell Adam he can spend the last years of his life in blissful retirement.
Our old age are not our golden years. Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 describes the problems of being old. Poor vision and hearing, unsteady gait, weakness and emotional fragility are all described these verses.
Here are some more verses that argue against a modern concept of blissful retirement
Psalms 92:12-15
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
I have put aside the idea of retirement and pray that God will grant me, like Adam, the necessary health to work till I die. It is obvious we will grow weak with age so the nature of my job can change over time. There will come a time I will have to retire my current full time doctor job. Maybe I will work part time when I am past 55 years. I may be serving the Lord in church or other ministries. Taking care of grandchildren is also work when I am blessed with them.
Summary
· Retirement as in a total break from work after a certain age is not a biblical concept
· Christians if fit should work till we die and that is God's blessing
Jesus example
Jesus was a great example of work and rest principles. He was yoked to his Father's will. He worked hard under difficult conditions. Most religious leaders of Jesus' day were against him, many in the crowd followed him for food and miracles, not for his teachings and his disciples frequently argued among themselves. In the end he was framed and died a horrible death on the cross. Jesus never complained. He kept all the laws of Moses including the Sabbath. But he was more liberal about the Sabbath than the Pharisees were. He said normal chores was permissible Luke 13:15 and emergency work could be done on Sabbath too Luke 14:15. ( so occasional weekend calls are permissible ). And he worked till he died, he never retired.
Jesus is a tough act to follow. My working environment is much less hostile. I own a house, Jesus had none. I have 30+ days of annual leave apart from Sundays and pubic holidays. I don’t fast.
Finally
You are young. You should enjoy God gifts like your youthful strength, God given parents and in the future ;wife & kids. And godly friends too. These lessons I write here are accumulated from my study of the bible and from my life experiences. Do not walk on the paths others have fallen. And may you continue to grow more like Christ
God bless
Actual bible study done on 17 Sept 2013
Article edited and published on 16 Dec 2013
with inputs from Preacher Yap Wei Hua
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus tells us to take on His yoke ( His plan for our lives ); not the world's yoke and definitely not no yoke. We can’t escape from work. If we take Jesus’ yoke, our life will be easy and God will give us rest. God’s rest as that mentioned in the work, bread & rest cycle. God’s rest is both a physical rest and a spiritual rest. And theologically when we are saved, we enter God’s rest because we need not work for our salvation. The world only tempts us to work harder with promises of a better bread( more money )and better rest but no guarantees of either. The world tempts like a lottery, tempting but never giving
If you think you are poor, consider Paul’s words
Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
A good attitude to wealth is again from Paul
Philippians 4
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
5 Retirement - is a wrong idea of rest
Planning for retirement is a major worry for working people. Today we think of retirement as having a well deserved break after a few decades of work. Current retirement idea is a modern concept. Modern financial teaching and media portrays retirement years as the golden years of our lives. We are exposed to images of the elderly playing golf, travelling and dining in restaurants. In the past, retirement was meant for people who were no longer healthy, physically strong or mentally capable to continue in their vocation. If you had understood the work, bread, & rest cycle, this is not possible. Voluntary retirement is a luxury. Most people in the world will not be able to finance a retirement. Many of my retired patients are in retirement because they are unemployed due to age or forced into retirement because of mounting medical problems.
You will surprised that the bible never discusses retirement. In Genesis 3 , God told Adam to work his whole life.. That also meant God gave Adam health to work till he died. God did not tell Adam he can spend the last years of his life in blissful retirement.
Our old age are not our golden years. Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 describes the problems of being old. Poor vision and hearing, unsteady gait, weakness and emotional fragility are all described these verses.
Here are some more verses that argue against a modern concept of blissful retirement
Psalms 92:12-15
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
I have put aside the idea of retirement and pray that God will grant me, like Adam, the necessary health to work till I die. It is obvious we will grow weak with age so the nature of my job can change over time. There will come a time I will have to retire my current full time doctor job. Maybe I will work part time when I am past 55 years. I may be serving the Lord in church or other ministries. Taking care of grandchildren is also work when I am blessed with them.
Summary
· Retirement as in a total break from work after a certain age is not a biblical concept
· Christians if fit should work till we die and that is God's blessing
Jesus example
Jesus was a great example of work and rest principles. He was yoked to his Father's will. He worked hard under difficult conditions. Most religious leaders of Jesus' day were against him, many in the crowd followed him for food and miracles, not for his teachings and his disciples frequently argued among themselves. In the end he was framed and died a horrible death on the cross. Jesus never complained. He kept all the laws of Moses including the Sabbath. But he was more liberal about the Sabbath than the Pharisees were. He said normal chores was permissible Luke 13:15 and emergency work could be done on Sabbath too Luke 14:15. ( so occasional weekend calls are permissible ). And he worked till he died, he never retired.
Jesus is a tough act to follow. My working environment is much less hostile. I own a house, Jesus had none. I have 30+ days of annual leave apart from Sundays and pubic holidays. I don’t fast.
Finally
You are young. You should enjoy God gifts like your youthful strength, God given parents and in the future ;wife & kids. And godly friends too. These lessons I write here are accumulated from my study of the bible and from my life experiences. Do not walk on the paths others have fallen. And may you continue to grow more like Christ
God bless
Actual bible study done on 17 Sept 2013
Article edited and published on 16 Dec 2013
with inputs from Preacher Yap Wei Hua
"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law " Deuteronomy 29:29
A study of medicine with evidence from the bible
This website is the sole property of Dr Benjamin Cheah
Materials excluding links on this website are not copyrighted. They may be reproduced and distributed without fees.
This website is the sole property of Dr Benjamin Cheah
Materials excluding links on this website are not copyrighted. They may be reproduced and distributed without fees.