Oracle about Oracle!

A little more than a month back I quit my second job and joined my third organization – Oracle. I had shared with you earlier, how I landed my second job. Click here to read it. Well this time the experience of leaving the second job and joining the next was pretty similar, a little bit more direct though.

On my way to work, I always used to cross the Oracle office. I have been taking the same route for more than a year, and it was just another office building, but since the beginning of this year I started thinking about job opportunities there. God, who knows my heart’s desire, knew this desire as well. Within a few weeks time, one of my college friend who works with Oracle dropped a mail to all our batch mates about an opening there. The profile and the location of the job opening was exactly what I was looking for! However, I couldn’t respond to that mail promptly since I was away on a vacation and my resume wasn’t ready. I managed to send the resume in a few days time, but I guess it was late by then. I didn’t hear anything for a few days. I, then, left it to God’s providence. Why do I worry! If He has planned a job for me at Oracle, it would happen. If not, it won’t. As I would eventually come to know, God actually did.

A couple of months later, I got a call from a recruiter in Oracle regarding a similar job posting but in a different city. I proceeded with the rounds of interview and what followed next were days that I would never forget. I realized that God was more interested in my life and my career than I was. I realized how strongly and directly God would communicate to me regarding the plans He had for me. I realized once more that God is alive and active and working in my life.

I was going through multiple rounds of interviews. On one of those days, during my daily time with God, I came across a Bible passage in the book of Isaiah. I was going through it and when I came to the last verse, a surprise awaited me. The last verse had the word ‘oracle’ in it! That was the name of the organization I was being interviewed for! I took it as a sign from God. Little did I know that it was just the beginning of many days through which God would speak to me personally and precisely about my career.

26^th April: I completed all the rounds of interviews and was waiting to hear from them. Even before my recruiter spoke, God did. Again during my personal prayer time I came across the verse 2 Samuel 16:23, this also had the word ‘Oracle’ in it.

28^th April: I was rushing to work and just had a few minutes to watch TV as I gulped down my breakfast. I was browsing through the channels when I came across an image of a man holding a placard which had the word ‘Oracle’ written on it. I was on that channel for just a few minutes, but God used this opportunity to speak to me. That day evening, the recruiter called me to get some additional information regarding my salary.

2^nd May: I was in my hometown. Again during my prayer time, God led me to a passage in the book of Proverbs. And you guessed it right; I came across another verse which had the word ‘Oracle’ in it!  Proverbs 16:10. That night I got a call from the recruiter who wanted to discuss the compensation package they were planning to offer me.

In all the years put together that I had read the Bible, I have never come across this particular word so many times; leave aside it happening within such a short span of time. Of all the scores of books, hundreds of pages, thousands of verses and millions of words in the Bible, God was guiding me towards these specific ones and speaking to me so directly! It was as if He was physically present right next to me and telling me where He was taking me.

9^th May: I received the offer letter from Oracle and that too for the location I wanted! But I think that was the easy part when compared to what followed.

13^th May: I was asked to join Oracle within two weeks. This was a very short time when compared to the two months’ notice period that I had to serve with my previous organization. I didn’t even want to demand this because I felt it was unfair on my part. I thought a lot and finally conveyed to the recruiter that if its two weeks, I won’t be able to accept the offer.

14^th May: During the Holy Mass, I was inspired to ask God to make this offer happen. God, being a loving Father, has always encouraged me to ask from Him just like a child would his father. And so I did. And within minutes, I got a call from the recruiter saying they are trying to take an exception approval from the highest authority. I clearly remember him saying, that such requests usually do not get approved and if it does it would be a miracle. When I heard this, I smiled and said to myself, “He doesn’t know that my God works miracles day-in and day-out.” I was sure he would get his miracle.

15^th May: He did get his miracle. In the evening, he called me and informed that the joining date has been extended by two more weeks, so I will be able to serve one month’s notice period. That seemed reasonable to me.

16^th May: I spoke to my superior and resigned.

What followed next was a tug-of-war between my present and future employer regarding my relieving date: one wanted me to be relieved as late as possible and the other wanted me to join as early as possible. I would have easily got tensed and worried about the situation, but then again God spoke to me saying, He is in control and that I don’t have to do anything. I just have to leave it to Him and trust Him, which I did. And boy was it difficult.

20^th June: More than a month after my resignation, I still hadn’t got a confirmation about my date of relieving, though my superiors were working hard towards that. Once again God let me know that he was in charge. He spoke to me through a Bible passage once more which had the word Oracle in it. Nahum1:1. This was another confirmation of His plans for me.

21^st June: Early in the morning, as I entered a retreat center to spend some time in prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, I noticed a banner which read: “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” (Exodus 14:14). I have crossed that place a few times before, but never noticed this banner. That day God drew my attention towards it and assured me once again that He is in control, I just had to relax. And that’s what I tried doing. But let me tell you it was so difficult. So many times during the day I would feel like checking with my boss about my relieving date, but then this verse would come into my mind and then I would resist the urge of pinging her or calling.

Within a few days the person who would take over the responsibilities from me was identified and the knowledge transfer began.

4^th July: I was relieved from my previous employer.

7^th July: I joined Oracle. It’s been a little over a month now here and things are going on well. I do not know what future holds for me here, but I’m sure whatever it is, it is as per God’s plan for me.

I’m sharing this experience of mine with you, not to show-off or boast, but to convey one simple thing. “You cannot imagine at all how much you interest God; He is interested in you as if there were no one else on earth.” (Julien Green, French writer).

If you have any issues with your laptop, TV, smart phone, bike, microwave etc. etc., you might approach any of the dubious mechanics, but you know that the most reliable solution is from the manufacturer’s service center.  The one who created the product knows it inside out and is the best one to tell you how to use it; and when it doesn’t function well, how to repair it. Each of us is created by God in love. In the words of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, “We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”  And the One who created us, knows us best. Our lives would be so much more meaningful, if only we approach Him, trust Him, love Him, speak to Him, listen to what He says, obey Him and let Him direct our paths.

How long do we run around like headless chicken? How long do we act as if we decide our lives knowing very well that what happens the very next second is not in our hands? How long do grope around and falter in the dark when all that we need to do is switch on the light?

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” – St Augustine of Hippo.

God Bless!

Oh No, Another Blog!!!!

‘Oh No, Another Blog!!!!’ That was exactly how I reacted when I saw so many of my friends starting their own blogs. And, so I guess was your reaction too when you saw mine. Frankly speaking I never intended to start a blog. Even just a few days before I posted my first article, I was telling my friends how blogging was not my cup of tea, how blogging required a lot of time and commitment and how I couldn’t afford both, how addictive blogging can become etc etc etc. But one fine day (midnight actually), it just happened. I started this blog!! Well, this time I want to share with you how it happened and what happened once it happened.

It was during my second year in the Engineering college when I came to experience God in a way in which I have never experienced Him before. I experienced the Love, Forgiveness and Presence of the Living God. And since then He has been leading me interestingly. From an absolutely useless boy He has made me what I am, and helped me develop whatever little talents I have. And one thing He always told me was to start writing, start writing for Him. But being the lazy guy I am, I kept on procrastinating it for days, weeks, months and years. Over the past couple of years God spoke every clearly through others that I should start writing for Him. But every time it fell on deaf, disobedient ears. Till last month.

Two months ago, in one of the weekly prayer meetings I attend, while praying, Lord showed me a hand writing something with a pen- a vision which once again asked me to start writing. Till now I thought of writing some random articles, but now I knew about a better medium- Blog. Even then I kept on refusing and making excuses for not writing. I told Him, ‘Lord I don’t know what to write about.’ He replied, ‘Don’t worry. I am there.’ But still I didn’t do anything.

Finally, 30^th October (Friday) night it actually happened. For the past few days Lord has been speaking to me about a particular topic through many different people, many different occasions and so I slowly started developing the topic. Slowly means really very slowly. For the first two days I had just typed the heading on a word doc!!! But that night I don’t know what happened to me. It was almost midnight when I got this strong urge to start a blog and I almost unknowingly did that,  it was as if somebody else was in control, as if God was making my hands type!!! Within an hour the blog was up and I posted an article I had written sometime back- ‘Oh!!! Daddy...’ Since then amazing things have been happening.

Next day's morning Mass was unforgettable!! Friday night I thought something about the next article before sleeping. And on Saturday in the Mass the priest said the very same thing - twice!! When I heard this I started praising God and couldn’t stop. Soon I could feel the presence of Almighty God so strongly that I could hardly stand. I was almost shivering. It was as if I was in the middle of a hurricane and something as powerful as that was all around me. I could understand how Moses used to describe God in the Old Testament- a God full of power and might!! It was just an out of the world experience. Something I have never felt before, not even in a retreat. All this in the very same church I go every day. Everything around me was the usual same, but there was a rush of things happening within me. After Mass I sat down to pray for some time. I was just praising and crying for most of the time. And during that time He gave me so many topics to write about. It was  as if God was standing there right next to me and dictating. And I thought I wouldn’t have topics

to write about!! Praise God!!

All this coz I just obeyed God and His dreams for me. As the Word of God says, “Whoever looks closely into the perfect law.. and does not simply listen and then forget it, but puts it into practice- that person will be blessed by God in what he does.” (James1:25) Three simple steps:

1.                                       1.  Listen to God’s word

2.                                       2. Obey and put it into practice

3.                                       3. Receive God's blessings.

It has been very true in my life. The moment I decided to obey what God was telling me for years, the blessings just flowed as if floodgates have been opened. He has taken care of everything-my studies, my relationship with friends, my ministry work, my family, filled me with joy and peace that is beyond even my understanding, He blessed me with a wonderful job. But more importantly and above all, since I started the blog, God has suddenly become so tangible, so near, so real that I can feel His presence, hear His voice, see His plans and experience His Amazing Love!! Not because I deserve it, but because of His Love.

Is God asking you to do something? Go ahead and do it. And be ready to receive showers of blessings.