Then after that, I head downtown to a staffing agency to interview for a position that I applied for Saturday night (online, of course). It's a 3rd shift dispatch job, paying very close to what I was making before. But I have to go through the process at the staffing agency first, before my resume even gets sent to the company. The interesting thing is that this job link was sent to me via a Facebook message from the person who interviewed me for the library job that I didn't get. Very nice of her to think of me when she saw that.
And on to the important stuff...
COVENANT
Lord Jesus,
Grant me the favour of being led by thee,
under the direction of thy providence
and thy Word.
Grant me thy blessings with bitter things,
to brighten and quicken me,
not to depress and make me lifeless;
Grant me, like Gideon of old, way-tokens,
by removing things that discourage me;
Grant me succour beneath the shadow
of thy sympathy when I am tempted.
Accept my unceasing thanks
that I am not cast off from thy hand
as a darkened star or a rudderless vessel.
Suffer not my life to extend
beyond my usefulness;
Cast me not under the feet of
pride, injustice, riches, worldly greatness,
selfish oppression of men;
Help me to wait patiently, silently upon thee,
not to be enraged or speak unadvisedly.
Let thy mercy follow me while I live,
and give me aid to resign myself to thy will.
Take my heart and hold it in thy hand;
write upon it reverence to thyself with an
inscription that time and eternity cannot erase.
To thy grace and the care of they covenant
I commit myself, in sickness, and in health,
for thou hast overcome the world,
fulfilled the law,
finished justifying righteousness,
swallowed up death in victory,
and taken all power everywhere.
Mark this covenant with thine own blood
in the court of forgiving mercy;
Attach unto it thy name in which I believe,
for it is sealed by my unworthy mortal hand.
Wow. How many of us have ever prayed something like, "Suffer not my life to extend beyond my usefulness?" Most of us are praying to live as long as we can, right? But my favorite part in that prayer was this: "Take my heart and hold it in thy hand;
write upon it reverence to thyself with an
inscription that time and eternity cannot erase." That's the center of my prayer today. I want my heart in my Savior's hand!
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them! 12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
God isn't moving fast enough to suit Asaph. But "God does not bow to man's demands nor adhere to his timetable."
It's kind of like a single trombone player in the orchestra expecting the conductor to go at the tempo he wants to play. It doesn't work that way.
But Asaph is tired of waiting, so he complains. (I find that Asaph did that a lot.) "Why do you hold back your hand?" Then Asaph proceeds to remind God of all the great deeds he did for Israel. It's as if Asaph is saying, "Hey, you did all these things, why aren't you acting NOW??"
God works, though, to accomplish his will, his plan, his perfect plan, and he does so at his own pace. "God's tempo is perfect."
(From A Musician Looks At the Psalms, by Don Wyrtzen)
The Church has, to a large degree, become obsessed with outward success, playing the numbers game. We find it difficult to rejoice over the simplicity of the gospel. "We must be careful when rejoicing in the often temporary pleasure of success not to forget the eternal pleasures that are rooted in our justification through the atoning death of Christ."
"Rejoice that your names are written in heaven!"
(From Tabletalk Magazine, June 29 reading, "The Greatest Joy")
I pray, Father, that I will not, like Asaph, forget that your timetable is the perfect one. I see Asaph's Psalms as a negative role model. This is how we are NOT supposed to be. Give us patience and teach us to wait on your timing, which is perfect. That's the perspective I'm taking on this job hunt, Lord. You've got it worked out. In your time, the job will come, and it will be right. If I have to make a decision at some point, I will pray most earnestly for you to make the right choice clear to me.
My Jesus, take my heart and hold it in your hand. Write upon my heart reverence to yourself that time and eternity cannot erase!
I pray for a "Spark" friend's son, who is in the ER right now, Lord. I pray that everything will be ok.
I pray for others who are unemployed today. I pray that your work for them will arrive soon. (That's not an impatient prayer...just a prayer for relief.)
I also pray for comfort for a friend's husband whose father passed away.
May you rain down your peace on all of us, Lord!
THE ECONOMY
The Federal Reserve affirmed that short-term interest rates would remain at near zero for �an extended period,� which
most economists now believe could mean well into 2011 and possibly into 2012.
Retail prices for gasoline have climbed over the last week and are headed back to a national average of $2.80 to $2.90
per gallon, with prices higher on the West Coast.
Continue to pray for the families across America impacted by diminished incomes and rising costs.
(I'm quoting, so forgive the abuse of "impacted.")
Grace and peace, friends.