I am a wife and working mother who spent nearly ten hours a week commuting to my job. During almost every prayer, I would ask God to open up a position closer to home. One evening during First Wednesday service at my church, God told me to “stay where you are.” I was devastated. How could God ask me to stay in a job that kept me from my family? I did not know the reason, but I conceded and stayed were I was.
I quit asking God to move me and started asking him to use me. A short time later, I was sitting in church praying and an image flashed into my head. I was standing in a classroom where I work, holding hands in a circle with a group of my students I had grown close with during the semester, and we were praying. I nearly fell off my chair at church. I thought that surly God did not want me to pray with my class in a government institution (I wasn’t sure just how many rules that would break)!
I spent the next two days talking with God trying to convince Him that this was not a good idea. I walked to the classroom very nervous and still not sure if I would obey God’s request. As I entered the room, I could not believe my eyes. One of my students was dressed EXACTLY as I had seen her in my mind! I made my decision and announced, “Today we are going to pray.”
I nervously told the class about my vision (including God showing me what the young lady would be wearing) and that I believe that God had special plans for this group. Another student – a big football player – popped up from his desk and said, “Amen, let’s do it!” So we gathered around, held hands, and I said a prayer. After class had ended, the young lady told us that she had bought that shirt she was wearing for her graduation; and that she usually tried on several outfits before deciding on the right one.
However, that particular morning she grabbed her new blouse and just put it on. Now, if that wasn’t amazing enough, one week later I received a call that a new position was just created for a job right down the street from my home! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I knew that the job was mine because God always rewards obedience.
Memory Verse:
“In everything that [s]he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, [s]he sought [her] his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so [s]he prospered.”
– 2 Chronicles 31:21 (NIV)
Prayer Prompt:
“Dear Lord, please help me to open my heart to You and listen to Your will. Give me the courage today to obey Your requests even when I do not understand the purpose, and thank You for blessing Your faithful servants. Encourage me in the areas that I have been struggling, including…”
Contributing Writer:
Liette Ocker
Leave a Reply