By Karen Y. Stevens

Eric was playing Baseball shortly after we moved here in 2000. This night happened to be a very wintry night, and my youngest son Hunter, (he was about 6) did not want to stand outside and watch his brother play ball.

I had gotten to the park early and parked right behind home plate.

Anytime Eric was up to bat, Hunter and I would get out of the car, and stand behind the fence to watch him. Eric was about to bat again, which I was about to miss, because Hunter said no very loudly and sternly, that he was not getting out of the car.

I rolled the passenger window down. The engine was off, but on auxiliary so I could leave the heater running with Hunter inside. I was only 10 to 12 steps away from the car. What could happen? I had already looked in the direction of the car several times to insure Hunter was ok. As Eric was at the plate just about to swing, I heard a voice in my spirit say, “turn around”. I thought to myself, no, I’ll miss Eric bat if I look behind me. I stood there for about 4 or 5 more seconds, and the voice said again, “turn around”. I still did not want to comply, so I stood there for another 4 or 5 seconds waiting for the pitcher to hurl the ball towards Eric.

Finally, the feeling inside me was so strong, and the voice was so loud, I turned.

Hunter had stood on the door panel in the car, so he could lean outside the window. He had stood on the button that rolled up the window, and his neck was trapped between the window and the top of the car. He had already started turning blue. I raced to the car, stuck my arm in the opening next to my son’s head, and found the down button.

Pure joy flooded my soul as I held my crying baby in my arms. Yes, I missed Eric bat, but the reward for me finally listening to God, was overwhelming.

Have you ever been in that situation where you are so intent on doing what you set out to do, that you ignore God’s voice for whatever reason? I know, I know. I have told myself all the excuses.

“That’s not really God speaking to me.”

“I don’t want to do it that way.”

“That will embarrass me.”

And on and on they go. Excuse after excuse.

God spoke to the Israelites in the Old Testament and the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles every word for the New Testament. So why is it so hard for us to believe that God will speak to us today? Whether it is Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God or an angel that He sent to us, He is speaking to you and me.

John 10:27 states, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

We need to have faith and believe, that Jesus died on the cross to wash our sins away; and that makes us righteous enough, to speak to, and hear God.

Listen for His voice! He’s waiting for you to. And just because it doesn’t turn out the way you think it should, doesn’t mean it wasn’t God.

 

Karen Y. Stevens is founder of Orange County Christian Writers Guild