Umm, where did that come from? - Christians do you ever get those nudges out of the blue to do something? The sort of thing that leaves you asking yourself, "Where did that come from?"
I certainly hope so.
The Lord speaks to us in number of ways; through His Scripture, through the Holy Spirit, and through fellow Christians just to name several means.
Today, on my way to my favorite writing spot, Panera Bread, I was passing a street and I got the nudge to turn and go and visit a local ministry to drug addicts. They also are a distribution site for Operation Blessing once a month here in my area.
I wish I could say that I immediately obeyed the nudge.
But I can't. I did ask myself, "Where did that come from?" It was a rather strong urge and out of character for me to want to do such a thing. I am an introvert and just dropping in on someone unexpected is way outside my comfort zone.
I did turn on the next street and tried to think through whether that thought and nudge to stop and visit was from me or from the Lord. I drove slowly down the avenue to the corner stop sign and looked down the street toward the building. I sat there trying to figure out just what I would say "if" I walked into their office.
"Hey, I had a nudge from the Lord to stop by and say hi."
Funny thing is, if someone had said that to me I would accept it and be thankful. But here I was trying to talk myself out of being the person to do it.
So I turned the opposite direction and headed back for my original destination of Panera Bread. After all, I had stuff to do.
Yeppers, I ran. Only on the slower than average drive to Panera I decided to ask the Lord if that was Him I heard.
I got silence.
Now, I'm not saying that I hear the voice of the Lord often. 99% of the time I don't get a verbal response to my questions and conversations with Him, but I know He's there with me. However, when I asked if it was Him I got the kind of silence I don't often here, the kind where the question reverberates back at you and exposes you.
That clearly said to me, "Yes."
So I swallowed my pride, something of which I know I have a too abundant supply, and I turned the truck around.
Parking, I ran through all the excuses I could use to stop by a place I really had no reason to stop by and visit. I came up with nothing and decided to just go with what I had: the urge to stop and visit.
There was just one fellow there who I knew. I walked in and explained that I just had this urge to stop by. We chatted about things going on in the center, weather, and with family. And I left.
Nothing earth shattering. No deep spiritual insight or movement. No, "Ah ha!", revelation stating that's why I was supposed to stop in and say, "Hi."
But I did sense that rightness of the act. Maybe it was just Jesus trying to get my attention and teach me to obey. Maybe the brother I spoke with needed someone right then in a way I can't perceive. I don't know. But I left for Panera Bread content.
I have been pondering obedience to the Lord over the last week. 1 Kings 13 started the rumination on obedience. It's a very strange chapter in the Bible.
Give it a read.
