“Listen to this prayer of mine, God; pay attention to what I’m asking. Answer me – you’re famous for your answers!” Psalm 143.1
I asked, no I demanded for weeks, and after I gave up hope, the unexpected positive answer came rumbling in. Wow.
I have been on a campaign to reward my team for the outstanding work they have done during the past year. When we looked out at the coming year, we saw incredibly daunting challenges and hurdles at every step. The experts said that there was no hope of change much less winning. The team optimists felt that if we accomplished 50% of the task we should consider ourselves successful. I would not, did not, accept either view. In the end, with help from God and many unexpected places, we accomplished everything and more that we set out to do. Teamwork, trust, and a willingness to walk in faith are cornerstones of our success.
Support for the push for recognition came from a wide range of seniors. Their efforts were open, direct, and encouraging. The difficulty for me came when their efforts appeared to fail at every step. Various parties cut my initial proposal by 75% while I wondered aloud about my fitness to do the job. Every attempt to align the reward with the results failed. Unexpectedly a small win came last week from a corner that had nothing to give. Even more shocking was the late night call giving us another piece of the pie. My team will probably never completely understand just how much the senior executives understand and appreciate their efforts. The corporation values us much more than we ever realize.
Is it any different with God?
God is on a campaign to recognize and reward us for who we are. Ironically, we think our behavior and efforts determine or shape God’s reaction to us. God seeks us out for who we are, not what we do! God wants to give us an awesome gift because of Jesus death at Calvary. God values us much more than we ever realize.
