God, who ordains our days,
and who is sovereign over the hours of our lives….
It is Wednesday, and we who are your children face another middle-of-the-week work day.
We are scattered across the earth, across time zones, across occupations, across responsibilities.
Thank you, for our jobs.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work, and the grace of your provision for our families, through the opportunity and privilege of work.
And as I sit here in this hotel room, looking ahead to a day full of meetings and business meals and a long day of travel tomorrow to the bottom of North Carolina, I am thankful personally for a job that I love. The opportunity and gift you have given me, in the form of this job, helping a tremendous group of team members from all over the United States.
But I also recognize that many are weary in their jobs. Or frustrated. Or treated unfairly. Thank you God, that this is not the case for me–not the frustrated or unfair part–but I do understand weary. Tired. Long hours. Long days. Long weeks.
We all do.
So grant us the energy to do the tasks laid before us in our jobs. Grant us the grace to care for our colleagues. Grant us the ability to go above and beyond what is asked of us. Grant us the drive to be different. To love our neighbors well, understanding that our co-workers are neighbors, too.
And help us to be keenly, keenly, keenly aware that the ability to work and the jobs we have, are gifts from you. Even in the difficult situations.
And for those in difficult situations, grant them relief and rescue.
And for those who are unemployed and struggling to care for their families, o God, we pray that you will provide jobs. And job security.
You do not view our work–whether it be in ministry or secular employment–as unimportant. You speak often to the subject of work, in your scriptures. We see it in Proverbs, multiple times:
…and other places as well. 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Acts 20:35, 1 Timothy 5:8….
You are not disinterested in this area of our lives.
So. Today, God. Go with us in our work. Place peace within our souls and minds, and patience and joy within the words that we speak. Help us to be encouraging, caring and diligent colleagues and employees. Give us strength, for we are tired, on this Middle-of-the-week Wednesday.
So very tired.
We need You.
And, we want to be a reflection of who You are, through our actions, our words, our diligence, our work ethic, our commitment, our actions, our tasks.
We want to be a reflection of You.
Amen, and amen.
