(Psalm 58:7)
Is someone after you? Does the action of one who doesn't like you, or just doesn't care, frighten you and place you or your career in jeopardy?
Then let me tell you about something that happened to me. It sounds very similar to the 58th Psalm, in which David, oppressed and victimized, called out for God to stop his enemies from hurting him. Likening them to lions, he asked God to break out their teeth so they could not eat him. Then he likened them to hostile soldiers:
"When he shooteth his arrows, let them be as broken." (Psalm 58:7)
The prayer of David was that God would emasculate those weapons. Before the shaft could be shot, even before the bow could be strung, he asked that his enemy find his quiver filled only with broken arrows.
David envisioned the joy which would follow. Not that he would rejoice over someone else's downfall, but it would be a celebration that the will of the enemy was blunted and the will of God to protect his children would be accomplished.
That is what I experienced.
My boss was trying to get rid of me. This is no paranoid delusion. He made no secret of his desire to terminate me. On a couple of occasions, colleagues gave me advance warning so I could prepare and make sure everything was in order.
Once I was warned so I could sidestep a trap set for me. For whatever reasons (he openly told me he detested my faith and my testimony), he looked for opportunities to fire me.
One Friday afternoon another supervisor asked me where I kept certain records, because someone in my position from another firm would be coming over the weekend to inspect my work. She seemed surprised that I knew nothing of it. I thought, Here we go again!
I needed not to have been concerned. We received a rather significant snowstorm that weekend and the inspection was not carried out. In fact, several weekends in a row of heavy snows prevented the survey from ever taking place. I thought, God must have sent the snow to save my job!
In the Spring, when I had nearly forgotten the matter, I was discussing business with a company in another distant town. The person to which I spoke asked me to wait because her supervisor wished to speak to me. The next one who spoke to me said, "I have been trying to set up a time when we could get together, because your administrator wants me to go over your work."
My pulse quickened as I realized that she was the one I had awaited, and now she was informing me of the matter, obviously unaware that my boss wanted it kept from me. We discussed the situation, and I told her that I would welcome another with more experience who could help me do a better job. A day the next week was set. I thought, God surely wants me to be in on the inspection, to protect me and to help my professional development, despite the intentions of my boss!
When the day arrived, the meeting turned into a very profitable work session for me. She went through the records with me, asked me many questions, gave me many insights, and encouraged me as to my work thus far.
I began to sense her love for her constituents and her sincere desire to serve them. She challenged me that this be my outlook, as well.
Then she stated, "After all, God places us into positions like this to minister to these folks, doesn't he?"
I was astounded. "Are you a Christian?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes," was her response. "I've committed my life to Jesus Christ. My purpose in this world, and particularly in this job, is to help others in a real and practical way and, whenever possible, to tell them about him."
I shared with her that I, too, was a believer. The next few moments was a time of tremendous fellowship, rejoicing in our common spiritual bond both in our eternal destiny and in our life callings.
Then it hit me. Here was the one my boss had hired to destroy me, teaching me how to better do my work, and a committed Christian, as well!
Tears welled up in my eyes and a lump came to my throat as I looked up and whispered, "Wow!"
"They shall praise thy great and fearful Name (for it is holy)." (Psalm 99:3)
I learned much from her that day. I learned some important details about my work which helped me better serve our customers.
But I learned even more about the mighty power of God, his tender care for my plight, and his ability to upstage someone very powerful, somebody I feared, someone who could harm me.
"But all the weapons that are made against thee, shall not prosper: and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the Lord's servants..." (Isaiah 54:17)
And I learned that my anxiety, my worry, and my dread had been totally unnecessary. God had been overseeing the entire affair all along, even though I wasn't aware. And he led my boss to call in another believer to help me.
"For I know the thoughts, that I have thought towards you, saith the Lord, even the thoughts of peace, and not of trouble, to give you an end, and your hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Many times since that day I have experienced other dangers. Once in a while I find that I have forgotten how big my God is and find myself sinking again into the bog of despair. But, when I remember back to the time when he knocked the teeth out of the lion's mouth and broke the archer's arrows, I find encouragement.
And my weak faith believes again that God will take care of me just fine!
"Doubtless there is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psalm 58:11)
(Copyright Roger D. Adams 1999, 2003)
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