Working His Purpose Out

God is working his purpose out
as year succeeds to year:
God is working his purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.

Arthur Campbell Aigner (1841-1919), 1894 

I can't claim to know God's mind or His purpose; one thing I can say is, as things work out in my life, slowly but surely, I see His hand in them. In whatever I am not clear about, everything falls into place as if there was never a problem in the first place.

Sometimes I wonder why most times things do not turn out right; Am I not a child of God?, Did He not say he will not let my feet smash against a stone? and when things are right, I thank God then start thinking what ifs. Is that doubt of what God can do or what He is doing? I don't think so and yet I can't get my head around it. So I pray and then forget about it; till something else crops up.

I start my new job on Friday, 1st October 2010, and instead of thinking about the tasks I will be performing, I find myself preoccupied with the kind of corporate culture I will be encountering. This will be my first time of working in a public institution and I know it is highly formalized and stiff. I will be working with and encountering people of a different generation and age groups. I have been praying to learn the act of tactful speaking; I am known to run my mouth without mincing words. :), I guess this will be the ultimate test.
Coming from a less formalized corporate culture where everyone, from the CEO to the grounds people, is known and called by the first name, I will be mister'ing' and madame'ing' other colleagues(I don't know if using just the last name is acceptable. :-)). This is going to be so different; exactly what the doctor ordered. :). Can you tell? I am excited! though I dislike titles.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 New Living Translation(NLT)

I have a problem with names and faces. I will be learning the names and faces of about five hundred(500) other people I will be working with.(a hard task? only time will tell; hopefully I will not be meeting all of them at once. :-))

I envision a couple of problems, with sexual harassment being ahead of the pack(can't escape that). I know, I shouldn't go to a new job thinking about negatives, but I like taking a realistic and wholistic view about all matters and this is one issue that cannot be escaped at the workplace. I am wondering how I can deal with that in a tactful way(hmmm, that word again; tact).

So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. Romans 9:26 NLT


My prayer:
God, Father, you placed me here. For whatever purpose you have for me to accomplish, at my new workplace, help me to find it and accomplish it. Let my speech and actions be as a child of God and not a dormant. I know you are working your purpose out and I am loving it. Should perilous times come, let me not rely on myself but rather on you. Order my steps in your word in Jesus name. AMEN

*I will let you know what happened on my first day at the new place. :)

I Got Jobs!

So was it by faith or obedience? I say both; I had to let go of what I had (my old job; only after I had accomplished my purpose there) and trusting God that it was the right time to quit my job (even without one in the horizon).
I have two jobs; one as a web developer using PHP to manage an existing website (I will serve in this capacity for two months), and the other as systems supervisor (I take up this appointment in two months time).

How has this affected my walk with God? I know the one who I have believed that He is able to do what He has said; not only in my job search but in every sphere of my life. When the going gets tough and it looks like there is no end in sight, I mustn't loss hope. This is easy to say when you are at the shore, but in raving waters, will I be able to say this? I have been through some difficulties in life; a lightning strike, armed robbery- I don't know what else is there; but what can I say?, I have been through the eye of the storm and I have come out unscratched? No, not that. Each difficulty has taught me a valuable lesson on faith. My job search has taught me about obedience in the light of faith.

I can't help but wonder about what else out there and my role in it all? I see my family, friends, community; the struggles we go through each day as Christians- faith, obedience are just nouns when we don't get the God part of it- the essence of what He meant when Samuel said to obey is better than sacrifice  and to listen is better than the sacrifice of rams, 1 Samuel 15: 22. I am glad I listened; I am glad I sacrificed; I am glad God delivers on His promises. I asked and He provided.

My Prayer: God, lead me every hour. Let me know you more. Let me abide in you more. Hold me close and never let me go.