Hearing God in a Crisis

         Many years ago, my husband’s brother was in a serious head on car wreck. He was ejected from his jeep and landed on his head, breaking his neck. He was airlifted from the highway to the hospital. Initially, my husband received a call that our son had been in a life threatening accident and they wanted my husband to meet them at the hospital to make decisions. There had been some confusion when he arrived at the hospital, but when our sister in law arrived it was clear it was her husband in the accident.

         He was in bad shape and needed multiple surgeries. Decisions had to be made as to what to do first and what was the best course of immediate action in order to save his life. As they wheeled him into surgery many friends and family gathered in the waiting room. He had been attending a ministry school at his church, so pastors and other ministry students showed up at the hospital to pray.

         We prayed God would save his life, heal him of his injuries, and that the doctors would make the right decisions along the way. Along with his wife, he had three young children and a newborn baby girl who was two weeks old. Many people arrived at the hospital to pray and offer help. It was an amazing outpouring of love for the family.

         During the first few hours while we were waiting and praying, my husband heard from the Lord. Distinct and clear came these words from the Lord, “Go and pay his auto insurance.” A Bible teacher himself, he immediately knew it was the Lord, and he left the hospital and drove back to his office. On the drive back he tried to recall the name of their insurance man, who he met some ten years before. The name popped into his head. When he arrived at his office he called the insurance company.

         “I would like to pay my brother’s insurance bill. Do you know how much he owes?” he asked the secretary. She put him on hold and looked up his account.

         “You called just in time, Vince. Your brother’s policy has ended and he is at the end of the 30-day grace period. (Grace!) The policy runs out completely and will be cancelled in two  days. If we can get a check from you today for the amount past due, we can reinstitute his insurance.”

         “I will bring a check to your office right now.” My husband answered.

         He paid the insurance bill out of obedience to the Lord and love for his brother and his family. That insurance ended up paying his hospital bill, covering the cost of the totaled jeep and a large sum of money for living expenses. His brother lived and spent the next seven weeks in the hospital. He even learned to walk again, which the doctors predicted would not happen.

         It cemented in me the definition of the word grace: God’s free and unmerited favor. Also, a period officially allowed for payment of a sum due, especially an extended period granted as a special favor.

         I am eternally grateful for God’s grace in that situation as well as God’s grace that He has extended to me. His free and unmerited favor. I think sometimes we can hear God more clearly in a crisis because we are crying out to Him in prayer, others are praying on our behalf and we are looking to Him for a miracle.

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.  Psalm 145:18

Have you had a time when you heard God clearly during a crisis? We would love to hear it. Please share your story in the comments below.

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(This is Day 12 of 31 Days of Hearing God, part of the writing challenge at write31days.com.   If you would like to read more on this topic, click here. )