Friday, May 27, 2011

God's Favor in the Court System ( a testimony)

Recently, I was served the infamous jury duty notice, as we all get from time to time.  However, this time around, I misplaced the notice until after its deadline to respond and was therefore automatically called in for mandatory service.  Upset at my carelessness, I was particularly disturbed at this mandatory service because of a recent law passed at the time which no longer respected "financial hardship" as a reason to get out of duty for any trials expected to go one week or less.

For me, that could still be devastating as all my jobs were either "on call" or paid by the day.  So, as I thought about it, a short week, as they put it, could still put me out anywhere from $750 - $1500 for that week.

I still had to go through the selection process by the lawyers.  How long would that take?  As I sat in the court room awaiting the dreaded selection process to begin, the Judge asked if there were any hardships other than financial, he would hear them at that time.  Then the Lord guided me to stand up and request a specific week, which was a few weeks later, one that I particularly projected that financially I could possibly afford to take off.

"I don't know," replied the Judge. "I've never had that request before.  Let me check."

Quickly the clerk called the Jury room and came back moments later with the approval for me and to be released that day with the court order to return in 2 weeks.

The two weeks went by quickly and that day was upon me again.  As I headed towards the courthouse, I remember saying a short prayer, "Lord, I know that you cancel debts, but I ask you now, if it be Your will, please cancel this jury duty." 

Even after saying that prayer, if I had to serve then I had to serve.  It was already a blessing for my time to be postponed to a week I was off, spring break.

As I enter the jury room, there were only eight people in the room unlike the 100 plus that were in the room two weeks earlier.  The clerk came out to give instructions to us like before but told me to just sit tight because my situation was different.

"Uh-oh, they've got me for sure now!" I thought.

Following her instructions, she told all of us to wait, as she had to check with all of the neighboring court rooms and their need for jurors.  About five minutes later, the clerk returned and said that all needs for jurors had been full-filled and that we would not be needed this time around.  Our time was served. We were then released.

Trying to withhold the fact that I was doing a praise dance inside, I gave a very controlled smile and quietly left the building.

Outside, I must have said,"Thank you, Jesus" or "Praise the Lord!" about a hundred times.  The Lord showed favor towards me in preserving that week of work I thought I was going to lose.  The Lord also knew that the week I was requesting was going to be a slow trial week or a week where no new trials were beginning.  I knew none of this, of course.  I just had the faith that everything was going to work out. God is so good!

Then I thought about how we sometimes limit all the places where we think God's blessings can show up.  Why not in the courthouse too?  I have been consistently trying to be obedient and apply HIs word to my life in every way.

That day only continued to strengthen my faith in God's blessings.  For deep in my spirit, I knew that even if I did have jury duty, God would have provided some other way for my finances beyond my imagination, IF I did not doubt.. "for He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that I can ask or think according to the power that works in me." (Eph.3:20)

No matter what your situation just remember that "God did not create a spirit of fear, but of love, and of power and of a sound mind."(2 Tim.1:7)  It is when we keep fear out and put our trust in God that blessings are released into our life.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

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