00:00Hey friends, as you can hear my voice, I'm still struggling.
00:07You know, I don't think today I'm going to be able to do a long talk, but you know what?
00:12I was still thinking about you today, and I still care about you, and today I can at
00:19least offer you this.
00:22To the person who no one has hired, God has not forgotten you.
00:30I need a job.
00:32I'm looking for work.
00:34You know, maybe those words describe where you are today.
00:38You've sent the applications, attended the interviews, followed up, and waited.
00:44You've done everything you know to do, yet opportunity still has not come.
00:52I want to remind you of something.
00:55Your employment status does not determine your worth.
01:00And a closed door does not mean God has abandoned you.
01:04In Matthew 20, Jesus tells us a parable about workers waiting in a marketplace.
01:11A landowner approaches them and asks why they've been standing there all day.
01:16The answer is heartbreaking in its simplicity, because no one has hired us.
01:25They weren't unwilling to work.
01:28They were waiting for someone to give them an opportunity.
01:32And the landowner, well, he invited them into his vineyard.
01:38Jesus told this story to teach us about God's extraordinary grace.
01:44And it also reminds us that those who are overlooked by the world are never invisible to him.
01:52Perhaps you're standing in that marketplace today.
01:55Perhaps you're wondering when somebody will recognize your experience, your abilities, and your willingness to contribute.
02:06Don't let the waiting convince you that you have nothing left to offer.
02:11God has not forgotten your name.
02:15He knows your needs, your worries, and the responsibilities that you're currently carrying.
02:21Keep applying.
02:24Keep reaching out.
02:25Keep preparing.
02:27Keep believing that tomorrow can bring something different from today.
02:33And I want you to remember, faith does not mean we never become discouraged.
02:40It means we don't allow discouragement to have the final word.
02:45You may not know when the next opportunity will come.
02:50Neither do I.
02:52But you can face tomorrow knowing that your life still has purpose.
02:56And your gifts still have value.
03:01Your story is far from finished, my friend.
03:04You're not a failure because you're looking for work.
03:08You're a person with something meaningful to give.
03:12Still searching for the opportunity to give it.
03:16So lift your head.
03:18Say your prayers and take the next step.
03:21And when you feel forgotten, remember those workers in the marketplace.
03:27Jesus saw them.
03:30He sees you too.
03:33God bless you, my friend.
03:36My name is Douglas Van der Graaff.
03:39And I believe in Jesus Christ.
03:43God bless every single one of you.
03:47Every single one.
03:49And everyone you love.
03:52Bye-bye.
03:54God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless
03:55you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God
03:55bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you,
03:55God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless
03:56you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God
03:56bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you,
03:56God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless
03:57you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God bless you, God
03:57bless you, God bless you, God