A couple of weeks ago I posted a prayer by Bob Jacks, "Lord, open my eyes today to a person who needs to know You, and give me Your words to say." I love this prayer, but it should come with a warning label. "IF YOU PRAY THIS PRAYER BE WARNED THAT OBEDIENCE IS REQUIRED."
I had just finished reading the book that the prayer is found in, Divine Appointments, and was sitting in my office reflecting on this prayer when I felt a very strong urge, that I fully believe to have been from God. God told me to go to a local coffee shop, the Bean Factory, and once there God would show me a person who needed to know him. How amazing is that, God telling me where to go to have an opportunity to introduce him to another person.
So I sat in my office and thought about it. I really had no doubt about what I should do, it was a no brainer, the worst thing that could happen was I would look a little foolish if I had misheard the voice of God, the best thing that could have happened was that someone could have been introduced to the living God that afternoon.
I didn't go. I found other things to do that afternoon and went home. I felt guilty, so the next morning I told God what I would do. I would go to the coffee shop and he could bring the person back and I would talk to them. I arrived at the coffee shop, with an obviously Christian book (so the 'seeker' would know I was the one God sent), and ordered my coffee. There was no one else there, I was alone, the guy behind the counter had no interest in conversation of any kind.
Some three years later I still wonder what opportunity I missed that afternoon. Out of embarrassment and guilt I've never told this story before. But there are a couple of important lessons to be learned from it.
First, when God speaks we need to obey. We don't need to appoint a committee or a task force to check it out first. I could have misheard God that day and I could have looked foolish, but who said we wouldn't make mistakes and when did making mistakes become such a big deal? I'd rather make the mistake while trying to obey than make the mistake of disobedience.
Second, we don't tell God what to do. I still find it hard to believe that I had the audacity after my disobedience to tell God how he could make things OK. I am reminded of the Israelites and their refusal to enter the promised land after the report of the spies and how the next day they changed their minds and tried to go on their own strength. They received a whooping for their disobedience. I wonder how many of us ask God to be with us throughout the day rather than pray that we would be with God and doing his will throughout the day?
