Thank God It’s Friday!

Monday 7:00 A.M.:

Walter Skuggs heard his alarm clock ringing, but it seemed a long ways off at the moment. In the dream he was having, Walter was somewhere on an exotic Island with gentle breezes blowing on a warm beach. No cares—no worries—no problems.

The persistent, annoying buzz of his alarm slowly drug him back to reality. The gentle breeze and white sands faded away as the weight of another Monday began to loom into his mind.

A moan escaped Walter’s lips as he pulled the blankets over his head.

“Oh God, don’t let it be Monday again. Do I really have to face the job again? You know the pressure that I’ve been under the past two months. You know the strife that’s been in the office since we lost our manager. God, I can’t face another week at ‘River City Tool & Dye’ without Your assurance that You are working on the problem that I have. God, are You listening?”

Just as suddenly as Walter Skuggs had come out of his sleep, he went back into it. This time, however, he didn’t return to his white beaches; instead, he found himself in the office at “River City Tool & Dye”.

Everything around him seemed so familiar because he had put this place together with his own bare hands. For the past ten years, he had spent most of his waking hours right here, putting together a business that was now blessing a multitude of employees.

All was well until about two months ago when Mary Beth suddenly moved out of town and left him faced with the impossible job of replacing her. It had literally drove him to his knees.

But something was amazingly different in Walter’s dream. Now there was a supernatural sense of peace as he moved from desk to desk observing each of his employees doing their jobs. It was so shocking to him that he said to himself right in the dream, “I must be dreaming.”

With that he awoke; and when he did, the same peace that was in his dream flooded into his bedroom. A song he had heard at church yesterday began to play out in his mind.

“God is good and He is faithful,

He will never let you down

When you trust in Him completely,

And your faith in Him abounds,

You will find your path will

Take you past the obstacles below

To a place where Christ is Master

Over every wind and foe.”

Walter lay on his bed and knew that something wonderful had happened to him and the discouraging situation that he had been struggling through. With that, Walter Skuggs threw back the blankets and leapt out of bed.

Monday, 7:40 A.M. somewhere south of River City:

Renee Vangard closed her leather bound Spirit-filled Bible she had been reading for the past forty minutes, and shut her eyes. She had been aroused out of her sleep by an intense desire to read some from the Psalms of David.

She knew there would be comfort for the faith struggle she had been in for the past two months. So, she turned to the 23rd Chapter and began to read:

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”

Waiting a moment, Renee let the words of David sink into her soul.

“Oh God,” she whispered, “You know how desperate I am for a new job. I’ve been through all the classes and have been trained for business office management and no one will give me the open door so I can prove myself. Lord, You said You are my Shepherd, and I trust in You.”

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.”

Stopping enough to let the words of the psalmist take hold of her situation, she smiled and continued:

“He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil.”

“The valley is over, Renee!”

Shocked that someone might be in the room with her, Renee almost jumped out of bed. When she saw that she was still alone, she realized the “Voice” had been the Holy Spirit speaking to her.

“What do you mean, Lord, ‘the valley is over’?”

“Don’t ask Me any more for the new job. Just thank Me because your answer is on the way.”

Then verse 5 leapt out at her and she read it out loud.

“Thou doest prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Thou hast anointed my head with oil—
My cup overflows.”

Now it was certain. Renee Vangard knew for sure that today was the day. Today she “gives notice” because God said that the other job was on the way. With that she prepared for work.

Peace is a marvelous ingredient of life. It is so necessary to health and prosperity that when it is missing all “hell” breaks loose. But when it’s in place, functioning in the life of the believer where it belongs, heaven comes down to earth.

But peace is not found in things such as good jobs, fat wallets, or a multitude of friends. You see real peace is a Person—His name is Jesus. (Jn. 14:27)

You see Walter and Renee found this peace on Monday. They both knew without doubt that God had answered their prayers. Their faith in Christ’s promise was rewarded with soul peace.

Yet, Walter and Renee didn’t find each other until Friday. You see, it was during the journey from the promise on Monday to the fulfillment on Friday that “God’s peace” reigned supreme. It was peace that protected their faith, their emotions, and physical strength, until they could walk into the enjoyment of their miracle.

So my friend, do as Walter and Renee did:

Let His promise provide your peace.

Let your peace protect your faith,

And let your faith produce your miracle.

Then we can say, “Thank God it’s Friday!”

~ George Watkins, Apostle

(In the continuing tradition that Jesus began, these are stories and parables that bring to life God’s truth and principles for daily living. Some are from life experiences that God has taught me along the journey that I have had with Him.)