It was one of the coldest days we’d had all winter, and I was in a hurry to get back to the office after a lunch meeting in town.
Driving along the highway I noticed the car stranded along the shoulder of the road, but didn’t think much of it. But as I motored on past I couldn’t shake the nagging sense that I should go back and check things out.
I pulled a U-turn in the middle of the highway, turned back past the car, pulled another U-turn, and parked behind that beat-up old rust-bucket parked there. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, but as I peered through the swirling snowfall, I saw further up the highway what must have been the vehicle’s occupants. Bracing the bitterly cold winter air I got out of my car and ran up the highway to catch up to the young family I saw wandering along the road.
There was a young mom and two small children, none of whom were dressed warm enough for these severe conditions.
I asked if everything was alright. The mother, putting on a brave face, said she was having car trouble and was walking up the highway looking for a service station. Looking at these shivering youngsters I quickly said, “Hop in my car and let’s get you some help.”
Moments later we were at a nearby service station, and it was then that the obvious truth came out. She had not only run out of gas, she had no money to even purchase any. She really didn’t know what to do next.
“Let me take care of this, okay?” I asked. I purchased a jerrican of gas, took her back to her car, then had her drive with me back to the service station where I filled her tank.
Before I left she asked me a question I hadn’t expected. “Are you by any chance a Christian?”
“Yes, I am.”
She smiled knowingly. “I knew it,” she explained excitedly, “I just became a follower of Jesus, and I’ve been learning how to pray. When I realized I was in trouble back there on the highway I prayed and asked God if he could please have a Christian stop and help me out. Prayer really works, doesn’t it!”
As I drove away, several thoughts swirled through my mind.
1. I was convinced that God had indeed heard her prayer and fully intended to answer it for her.
2. I realized that in answering her prayer, God had given me the opportunity to participate in this story by having his Spirit prompt me to turn my car around.
3. Had I ignored that prompting, I’m convinced that God would have still answered her prayer; he would have simply prompted the next Christ-follower driving along the highway to stop and help.
The point is that in listening to and obeying a Holy Spirit prompting, I was given the tremendous opportunity to be a part of a much greater story that God was unfolding there at the side of the highway.
Since then I’ve often wondered how many times I’ve missed out on being a part of other ‘God-stories’ simply because I either ignored or completely missed Spirit promptings in my life. And I’ve committed to developing a discerning heart; one that can more easily recognize when the Spirit is nudging me and is quick to respond in obedience.
If you resonate with this journey, let me urge you to join Bill Hybels in a free webinar discussion on Whispers: Hearing God and Responding. On Friday, October 29th from noon to 1:00 pm cst (1:00 – 2:00 pm est, 10:00 am – 11:00 am pst), Bill Hybels will discuss this in a Q&A format with Jim Mellado. To register and to submit a question for Bill click here.
And let’s take this journey together.
How can you tell when God’s Spirit is ‘whispering’ to you?
Share a story of when you heard and obeyed God’s whisper.
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