God calling

Here's a striking example of what our life, as followers of Jesus, indwelt by his Spirit, so often involves.

There was someone I needed to see today.

The person involved has had all sorts of things to be dealing with over the months. It's not been easy at all. And this was another big crisis. Out of the blue.

The person has not been involved all that much in the life of the church for many a year. The fringes of things at best, I would think.

And over the months with all that the person's been facing, there's not been much room in her life for the presence of Christ. I mean, she's struggled to see, if he's there, why he's let all this stuff come her way.

This morning, though, she was forcibly struck by a clear and remarkable sense of the Lord simply speaking with her and making it clear it was time now she got back to church.

A strange and most striking experience. Not one she'd had in her life before, so real and intense and up front was the thing.

And no sooner had that come her way than the telephone rang. I was ringing to fix up a time I could call by and see her myself. For her it was like a second small sign from the Lord. His speaking directly: and then quickly following it up with a call from the person I guess she relates most of all to the Lord in her mind.

It was powerful stuff. And a clear sort of sign to this person that God was right in there, among all the chaos there is in her life at this time.

Which in a strange sort of way is a message we all need to hear. There's a lot that's fairly chaotic right now in the big church scene. A turbulent, difficult time.

But the Lord is at work! Of that I've no doubt. The place is alive with the sense and the signs of his presence and power and work.