Weekly Prayer:
Lord God, the Scripture story tells me that you created this beautiful world I live in with the resources to sustain life. It says that you mean my work, whether at home, at church or in my workplace, to be a vocation, a source of meaning and challenge. Give me your wisdom to make good choices, Lord, and to balance my work and my rest in you. Amen.
Prayer Tip:
When I was working as a broker before seminary, the primary way I would prospect for new clients was through good old-fashioned door knocking and getting to know my ‘neighbors’ near the office. As you can imagine, it would be hit or miss and my attitude throughout the day depended on how many people were receptive to getting to know me and allowing me to get to know them versus how many people slammed the door in my face. My favorite door knocking memory was when a woman chased me away with a broom as she mistook me for a Jehovah’s Witness – a consequence of my black and white color scheme for the day, I suppose.
Weeks and months of this began to wear on me and my sense of purpose was waning. I would turn to God at the end of my day completely exhausted and ask for guidance, yet it seemed as if I was too exhausted to even hear God as I would fall asleep mid-prayer! One of my friends suggested that I not wait until the end of the day, but rather find those little moments throughout the day to go to God in prayer. I began to pray and dialogue with God in between houses, and it made all the difference. Not only did it seem to improve my attitude and sense of purpose, but God was on my mind while I interacted with people at their doorsteps. I like to think that, because of this, people were able to get a glimpse of God through me and how I related to them. There were still some people who wanted nothing to do with me, but at least I knew that I was not alone on my sidewalk journeys.
We all have small moments throughout our day in which we need to step away from our vocation and replenish our purpose and energy. Instead of surfing the web, checking Facebook or catching up on the latest office gossip (trust me… you won’t find either energy or purpose through these activities), I encourage you to take those small moments to turn towards the One who created you, redeemed you and sustains you. Take time throughout your day to turn towards God. Your boss may not always be accessible, but God’s door is always open.
–Michael Maroon, Pastor of Prayer Ministries
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