The Hand-Writing is on the Wall here at Able Group Inc by Anthony Tori 04/05/02

We've all heard the expression, it's used all the time; "The Hand-Writing is on the Wall". It's used to express the silent yet ignored message of importance - a present warning to prevent future doom. It's based on a true story from the Bible, in the Book of Daniel. "Thou art weighed in the balances, and are found wanting", these are the fearful words written on the wall by a fearful God, along with other messages for the reigning king. The overall message to the king is meant to say: enough is enough, you have passed beyond the toleration point, and your end is near. Well God meant it, and made it happen. I ignored my "Hand-Writing on the Wall", in a similar way, years ago, and these days I see it as God's Love for me. I call it His Love because my "end" turned into the beginning of my faith.

The way I see it, the Lord has blessed me greatly with a fantastic trade from an early age. A look back through the years shows I graduated up the ranks as a professional electrician. Going from simple residential jobs to major commercial and industrial projects, building mechanical and business know-how as I went along. During my twenties and early thirties I seemed to grasp anything I reached for, and those were the years of faith in God. It was clear that the Lord was my strength and my opportunity giver all along, but circumstances led me to lose my faith in Him.

Well pride eventually changes a man if he ignores humility long enough. The opportunity to excel at my trade became clouded by foolish living, and making money became the only goal. God-given opportunities turned into "fortune and glory" for my ego. When money became my God, thieving and illegal short cuts became added skills to my trade. The wining, dining and enjoying the full gusto of life eventually changed to drinking and drugs. As the years passed, I was leaving God out of every area of my life and filling it with the wrong things. The wholesome man God had made of me was gone and every deed went beyond His toleration point (these are my regretful years).

Well, "The Hand-Writing was on the Wall" many times for me but I ignored it. I had the full understanding that everything in my trade was converted into my growing pride, thirst for gain, and the dead end of young mans pleasure. Turning to God meant turning away from the life I wanted. Like the Bible story - the end was near. God made it happen gradually, and nothing could stop it. Eventually my business turned into misery. Almost every job, every situation, every employee seemed to turn into misery for me. It felt like plague after plague would strike, but I toughened myself each time, and worked harder at what I wanted. What seemed to be sure-thing investments never amounted to anything either. When my marriage went bad - I fell head-long into the grips of depression and landed into a one bedroom apartment, all alone and without God. Surrounded by impossibilities, weakened by fruitless labor, blinded by years of sinful habits, rehearsing my regrets, emptied of all self-worth, hating my future outlook, fearing my total losses, chained with a spirit of rebellion toward God and doubting his existence entirely.

I lived each day in a dungeon of darkness, wanting but never knowing how to escape. Humbling myself to call out to God was not easy, but for me, after a while, I saw no other option. I surrendered my mixed-up mind to the Lord and prayed to Him continuously, and still it did not have any quick results. I remained at the very bottom for a long while, but, reading the Bible started renewing my mind. Well the practice of prayer all alone and every day, asking for Him for help eventually gave me FAITH instead of the help I needed. He gave me FAITH and nothing else.

At this time in my life, I ain't any richer, life ain't any easier, business ain't any better and I don't walk on the clouds - BUT I GOT FAITH! Faith has filled my soul and now I can trust the Lord for the rest of what life brings along. Knowing He has favored me, by beating down, sentencing me to a lonely and hardworking life, makes me realize that He loves me! I can see that now. God will carry out His justice, I'll do my time with Him. His Love has made me rich with faith, and with hope for my future. I've been enlightened to see Faith in the Lord as the real "gold of life". As a contractor, I fear when my work is done with profit as king, because God is my king. God has not only given me faith, but also the understanding that if I practice my trade with the highest quality and fairest standards for the customer (even going that extra mile), my Lord will bless me for it. As tradesmen, working our bodies and our minds brings out the finest talents from within. Working our trade as unto the Lord is the highest reward of all. When Our Father in Heaven is Lord of our life, He will provide us with our daily bread and add that golden benefit of Faith. "The Hand-Writing is on the Wall" here at Able Group Inc. The natural law of "use it or lose it" is God's idea - you can be replaced by a more worthy tradesman. "The Hand-Writing is on the Wall" for all of us. God puts it there because His love awaits you.
- The Beginning -