Poll: AC casino workers pray in face of layoffs – does prayer work?

My grandmother used to say in Italian that “Jesus Christ closes one door and opens a window!”
Never quite got that one when - to my way of thinking - He could always just have left the door open.

But as time went on, it became readily apparent to me that the Lord (should you believe in a higher power) works in mysterious ways.

You pray and you get an answer.

Maybe not the answer you wanted – but an answer just the same.

A preacher I knew from when I worked down South – the Reverend Boyd Dickey – from the Hardison Baptist Church in Byron, Ga. (funny how I remember that) used to come into our radio station to do his daily sermon – and upon being asked if God answers our prayers, said, “yes he does – and sometimes the answer is ‘no!’”

Not that I think He turns his back, but you get an answer in His own time; and in His own way.

This all comes to mind as the Atlantic City casino workers – who stand to lose their jobs when three more casinos will be closing – got together for a prayer service to help them through an anticipated difficult time – to say the least.

According a report on NJ.com, Rev Eric McCoy said:

"We're praying for God to open new doors to them,"

The President of the Atlantic City Fellowship of Churches continued:

"We have hope that God is about to restore to them whatever his plan for them was," he said. "He had plans for us before casinos existed, and he'll have plans for us after they're gone."

New Shiloh's pastor, Bishop James Washington agreed with McCoy's sentiments.

 "As these casinos are shuttered, it will have a domino effect up and down our streets and our communities. Our hearts are heavy. Multi-million-dollar corporations are about to turn their backs on these good people."

 

 

It’s no surprise that they’ve turned to God to lighten their load.

The business plan for Atlantic City, which for so long depended on the casino business, had never anticipated the kind of competition it would get from neighboring states.

It may have been more prudent to turn to the civic leaders to come up with a better plan but that ship had sailed a long time ago.

It's been suggested that the plan should have been, or should be, to focus on Atlantic City as a resort. Yet that still leaves the workers who will be facing imminent unemployment with much to lose.

Hence it’s left in the hands of the Almighty.