God speaks - with perfect timing

by Mark Saxby, BBC Radio Leeds News Editor

I had a job interview last week ... outside the BBC. It was greeted with shock by my friends and the few colleagues I told. They couldn't believe I was ACTUALLY CONSIDERING leaving the BBC for an independent rival. But I just wanted to do God's will. I am on attachment and the job I was going for was the same role but a permanent position. Admittedly it was lower paid, further from home and it IS a big thing to leave the BBC, but I want to be where God wants to me to be and I didn't know where that was.

So, I prayed - no answer - put in my application form - still no answer - and had a call asking me to go for an interview - still no answer. But God HAD spoken: "Be still and know that I am God." The stress about making the right decision lessened considerably after hearing this. God would give me the answer in his own time.

The day of the interview came and by then I had decided that on a practical level it could be a great job to get and I wanted to be successful. So I had a look around the station and my interview went well. I drove back to work praying - still no answer - and walked back to the office. Then the answer hit me: I saw with renewed clarity how inspiring I find my boss … and I knew there and then I hadn't felt the same way about those who interviewed me.

For me it was a clear answer to the job question - I should stay at the BBC.

At home that night we had house group and by then the doubts had returned. Had I made the right decision? Was I being too hasty? Then one of the members of the group told me that afternoon they had asked God to tell them whether I should take the job. God told her: 'Mark already knows the answer'. The time: about 4.45pm. The time God had spoken to me: About 4.45pm. My reassurance I had made the right decision was complete.

Mark Saxby, 20/09/2006