Routed in Prayer: A Devotional for Those Starting New JobsSample

Day 3: Who’s who?

Express Route

When work feels like a big game of ‘Guess Who?’ that you just can’t win, it can be easy to get bewildered. But what if the confusion held within it the potential to love God and love your neighbour in new ways? How would that change your perspective? Today, use Psalm 67 to help lift your eyes and pray a blessing over your new colleagues and workplace – whether you know their names yet or not.

Scenic Route

Read: Psalm 67 

Reflect: As you begin day three of your new job, let’s turn our attention to new colleagues and a new boss. Perhaps this is your first ‘real’ job and you’re not entirely sure what it really means to be managed. Perhaps you’re a seasoned worker, but you’re still feeling those first day nerves at learning to work alongside (or under) new people.

And more than just concerns about personalities gelling or clashing, there are no doubt a lot of new names to learn. New faces, new areas of expertise… and new potential for wonderful friendships and working relationships. Like so much of life in a new job, it’s a messy mix of confusion and potential.

Psalm 67 acknowledges God’s presence in it all. It speaks of God’s involvement not just in once-for-all historical events but also in the ongoing cycles of nature and human life. The psalmist asks for God’s graciousness and blessing to be upon His people throughout all of it. The psalm even asks for God’s graciousness and blessing to be known by the nations, as the author prays that the whole world would come to acknowledge God for who He is. 

As you meet new people, navigate office relationships, and humbly ask what feels like the fiftieth question of the day, may you know God’s graciousness and blessing, and may that blessing be multiplied over your workplace, and indeed the whole earth.

Pray: Read Psalm 67 aloud, and consider what it might mean for God to be gracious to you and bless you and your colleagues. As you do that, bring your worries about looking stupid or getting on with people to God, and allow Him to remind you once again of His perfect, unconditional love for you and for them. Pray that His face will shine on you all.