Today’s scripture: Proverbs 3:1-6 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):
As I considered all of the economic turmoil we’ve seen in the last couple years, my mind remembered the dark October in 1987 when the Dow Jones Average plummeted over 500 points in a single day — a record at that time.
It was a vintage Maalox moment: I was working as a securities trader in a large “trading pit” at a regional brokerage firm. As the market spiraled into a freefall, the news spread quickly and our switchboard lit up with phone calls from anxious customers. All the while, we tried to keep abreast of important news events affecting market prices.
The phones never stopped ringing as I fielded literally 50 calls an hour, both from other securities dealers and from our own brokers and customers. “I’ve lost everything! What does this mean? Will we have jobs tomorrow? Is the world as we know it coming to an end?” Even the most seasoned of traders and clients were bewildered and unsure of what else was to come.
Although we were rarely free to leave our workstations during market hours even on a normal day, this kind of chaos afforded each employee only one short bathroom break. When my turn finally came, I quickly removed my headset and sought the quiet retreat of the restroom.
It was the first minute of silence I had experienced all day. Although I was exhausted from the day’s excitement, I realized I wasn’t fearful one bit about my future. While my future remained as uncertain as anyone else’s, my faith felt unusually strong. I silently thanked God that my security was not anything the world might erase. I also asked God to use this crisis to cause my colleagues to reconsider the “security” afforded by wealth.
Thought for the day: In whom or what do I place my security? May our hearts always sing, “My hope is built on nothing less that Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.