I hadn’t talked with him in months.
I have almost learned not to call. Whenever I do, it seems, he isn’t there. Whenever I leave a voicemail message, he doesn’t call back.
But today? I had one of those “heart promptings” I knew was from You, Lord: “Call him.”
So I did.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a Voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” (Isaiah 30:21)
I didn’t stop to think. I didn’t stop to convince myself of the futility of my attempt. I just dialed.
“Do not merely listen to The Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22)
I called his cell phone first, expecting to leave a voicemail message. His phone responded with a message of its own: “This phone is not accepting messages at this time.”
I could have stopped then. I had responded to Your prompting. I had tried and failed, through no fault of my own. But You wouldn’t let me stop.
So I called his office. His assistant answered, telling me he was not there. I was about to ask if I could leave him a message when she said, “Just a minute.”
The next voice I heard was his.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)
We talked for more than thirty minutes. It had been a very tough week for him. He told me much unexpected news. Painful news. News that had shaken him.
Maybe now, he will listen to You, Lord.
He has been off track. Listening to Your enemy without realizing it. Heading down a path that seems right to him but is, instead, full of danger.
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
He needed someone to talk with today. I could tell the talking we did wasn’t nearly as important as the praying. Not because of me, Lord… but because of You.
Your own special brand of Voice Mail — First Class, Special Delivery. Reminds me of those famous commercials: “The next best thing to being there” and “Can you hear Me now?”
“Before they call I will answer…” (Isaiah 65:24a)
We both knew You had arranged for this phone call… and for its perfect timing. May the seeds You planted through the words You gave me, Lord, fall on fertile soil in his heart.
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22)
Trusting the Lord of the Harvest,
Abba’s Girl