Saturday, October 3, 2015

God in the Grocery Store - Part 2

(Please read Part 1 first by clicking here.)

            Right there in the baking aisle I knew I needed to call my friend. With hospice visiting her husband during the day and their many friends checking up on them, I knew she would not accept my offer. But, the thought to offer to spend the night at their house was strong. I knew I needed to be obedient to what I now felt was the Holy Spirit telling me to do this.
            Pretending to look at some cake frosting, I dialed her number. I swallowed hard and could feel my face getting hot with embarrassment.  Maybe there was something else I could do instead. I scanned the cake mixes and boxes of brownies. I would offer to bring brownies! That sounded a lot more normal. A roast! I could make a roast and bring them a full-blown meal tomorrow night. Laundry! I could offer to do their laundry. That was less embarrassing than what I thought I heard. Maybe I hadn’t heard right. Who in their right mind would want someone to spend the night at 7:30 at night? And what would I do when I got there? How would that help at all?
            The phone began to ring. She sounded surprised to hear my voice since I just left her house about a half hour earlier.
            Knowing for sure she would decline my offer I began,  
“Hey, I was wondering if you would like me to spend the night at your house tonight?” My face was red with heat.
“Yes, that would be great, honey. That is so nice of you to offer. I will go fix up the guest bed.” She said.
            What? What just happened? She really did want me to spend the night?
            All of a sudden it became crystal clear and made perfect sense. This was not about me at all. It wasn’t about me thinking it was a crazy idea, my embarrassment to offer it, or even what I would do when I got there.
            This was between her and the Lord. He loved her so much and in this tender, frightening, sad time she was going through, He wanted someone to be there with her that night. She needed someone to be with her. Her own adult daughters lived out of state and could not get there to be with her and their Dad yet.
            I seemed like an unlikely person for the job, but this appeared to be what the Lord brought for her. I went home, packed a bag and drove back to their house. She welcomed me with a big hug. She was noticeable pleased and grateful I was there.
            For the rest of the week her husband was alive, she referred to me as her ‘angel’.
            There have been many times a thought has popped into my head, and either I knew it was not from the Lord, and was just my own thought, or I wasn’t sure and blew it off. This time there was no denying it was the Lord looking after, loving and caring for my friend in her time of need.
            I was glad I heard and obeyed.
“What is more pleasing to the lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,” 
1 Samuel 15:22


18 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you called and so glad that you were able to come alongside her in this way. I love it when we listen and amazing things happen!

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    1. Me too! It was humbling to realize that it was really between her and the Lord, not about me at all. I was glad I heard and obeyed though.

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  2. A happy ending to your story! I've had that with those God nudges but I've also had it turn into an awkward moment or two, but I still believe we should listen and obey. I love that you were willing to step into that daughter spot. Caregiving is hard to do all alone and you removed that burden!

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    1. I have had a few awkward moments too Carol, when it wasn't God's voice, but I wasn't sure. I'm learning more and more, but sometimes we don't know it's Him, until after we step out and do it. Thanks for your comments!

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  3. I tend to talk myself out of those moments too often. "Was that really from the Lord? I'm not sure so I better not." Instead I need to follow through and let Him lead. Thanks for the reminder and example!

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    1. I have had times like those too Barbara. I'm learning to discern His voice more and more.

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  4. Robyn, I'm so glad you said YES! This is a treasured memory for both of you. You stepped out in faith, and that pleases God!

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  5. Sometimes it is so hard to discern if it is our own voice we are hearing, or if it really IS God's voice! So glad this had a "happy ending" in your following what you were clearly hearing as God's voice. I am sure your friend was blessed by that one act on your part!

    Thank you for sharing your story!

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    1. I was the one who was blessed to be a part of what God was doing. Thanks for reading Barbara!

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  6. Robyn, I am so glad you called and forgot about the brownies! Many years ago, my former mother-in-law was in the hospital dying, in South Florida. Her daughters and grandchildren were taking turns staying with her overnight. My MIL was not a believer. I told my husband I knew the Lord wanted me to go and spend the night in the hospital and relieve the family - we live in NC. My hubs didn't bat an eyelash and we headed south. I called my former sisters in law and asked if I could stay the night with her on Friday night. They welcomed me. That night, my cousin came over to the hospital to just sit and pray as I witnessed (once again to my MIL). My MIL seemed irritated that I was there but because she couldn't speak she didn't send me away - yes, it was weird but knew the Lord was in it. I have no great ending to the story but 45 days later she passed away - I had no idea about her eternal destination. I went outside and asked the Lord for "something" and I sensed "why didn't I believe sooner?" It was in the sense that my mil was with the Lord and telling me she should have believed sooner because He was so wonderful. Great story, Robyn. xo

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    1. That's a great story Susan! I love that. Our responsibility is to obey what we know. It is the Holy Spirits job to do the saving. Thanks for sharing that.

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  7. I love that you listened and you heard and you made the embarrassing call. I've done that and felt so stupid in the thing I've said or offered and then have discovered it was exactly what someone needed. God really does get it right !

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    1. Exactly. Sometimes the confirmation is in their response. Sometimes we just have to obey regardless of the response. Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Thank you for this. Too often, we ignore those little prompts from God. I pray that I will be more responsive to His voice. The is a great big hurting world out there! And we our to be Christ to them.

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    1. I pray that for myself as well. I don't want to miss out on what God is doing. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. What an exhilarating -- and humbling! -- experience. I love how detailed you are in telling us about how embarrassed you were to follow through. That lends courage to those of us who might otherwise think we could never be brave enough to step out like that.

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    1. Oh good I'm glad. I think someone said it earlier "If it is odd, it's God." LOL.

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