No Hiring Freeze
By Shauna Leis
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”
Revelation 7:9-10
One needs only to turn on the television for the news or pick up a national newspaper to see all of the companies and organizations that have instituted hiring freezes for a certain period of time. Economic downturns typically force these types of actions into play by upper management and HR to attempt to limit the negative economic impact to their specific company. They believe that in conditions like this, they have enough people on board already to get the company’s goals accomplished. No additional resources are required.
In addition, other companies are going through phases of layoffs. Layoffs come about when organizations believe that they have too many people on board to accomplish its specific mission and need to let some number of their work force go to balance the operating income with the operating expense. The company that I work for has actually gone through numerous hiring freezes and is in the middle of layoffs as I am writing. Times like these are disheartening to even those left behind as we watch our friends disappear, and the workload continue to increase.
As frustrating as this can be for all of us to understand and go through, there is one place where we are assured this will never happen. God never initiates a hiring freeze, and He never goes through any layoffs. When we join God’s organization, we can be safe and secure that no matter what, He will continue to add to His number and will never let any of those already on board go. Acts 2:40-41 indicates, “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” In one day, God added over three thousand members to His already growing company. That does not sound like anyone ready to initiate a hiring freeze to me.
And if you read the verses in Revelation above, the number of those in heaven was so great that no one could even count them. Also, God has one of the greatest equal employment opportunity plans one could ever imagine. There were people represented from every tribe, every tongue, every nation – everyone. Titus 2:11 says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” This verse indicates that God’s grace has appeared to everyone – not just to a select group of people. God used the disciples and apostles to branch out with the message of Jesus’ sacrifice and the only way to heaven. No one was left out unless by his or her own choosing.
And it is not just people who number so large no one can accurately count them. God indicates the angels are much the same way. Revelation 5:11-12 shows, “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’” The angels in heaven numbered thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand. I doubt that what God intended was for someone to believe that God’s army was limited to the actual mathematical equation represented here. Rather, the author’s intent was to represent a number so large one would have difficulty, if not a sheer impossibility, trying to count the number of angels seen here.
God can use all of us and will continue to add to His number each and every day. We just have to be faithful to His call in our lives when we hear it. I firmly believe that God is not in the business of layoffs, either. Paul was talking with the early Christians in Rome and told them this, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present no the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:38-39.
Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus. When we believe in Christ and what He has done for us through the cross, we are assured of our place in heaven. Are you ready for some safety and security in your life today? Will you trust the God of the universe to hold you in the cleft of His hand and never let you go? He is waiting for you today!
Pray with me: Precious God, we consider ourselves safe and secure in You, knowing that there will never be any hiring freezes nor job layoffs. You have promised us that You will never let us go and will never let anything separate us from You. While the world around us may experience economic downturns, trials, and tribulations, Your kingdom will endure through all generations. Lord, we trust You above all else. God, we love You so very much and pray all of this in the name above all names, Jesus Christ! Amen.