“WOW, what great memories you have with your dad in his final days!
My friend Keith’s dad passed away this past December of cardiac arrest. He was 84. Up until his passing, his overall health had been good with no visible signs of a sudden decline.
In early December, my friend felt a prompting to visit his dad, and he did. Here is some of what he shared with me, “I felt God leading me to go visit him. We had the best time together. We went to NYC, had lunch with my son; plus, I helped him put up his Christmas lights. A week later, he died of cardiac arrest. “
God’s nudge is a mysterious happening, right!? I wonder how many times I have missed his gentle prompts in favor of my comfort or an “I’ll get around to it” attitude.
Since my friend updated me on his father’s passing, I have felt the need to send a couple of emails, make at least 2 phone calls, and encourage some co-workers going through tough times.
Good for me, right!? Well, no, not really. I do not think for a moment that by sharing my recent good deeds with you earns me “bonus-points” with Jesus. In fact, I may risk losing my reward because I did share it with you. In Matthew 6:1, it says “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven”.
But here’s what I do know, it felt good to be less “self-focused”, and to be more aware of those around me. These small acts of kindness or care “felt” like His leading and I am glad I did it.
When we act on these divine prompts, we often find ourselves stepping out of our comfort zones and connecting with family and friends in profound, and perhaps, life-changing ways.
“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” – 1 Kings 19:11-13
My friend concluded his email with these words, “Never doubt God’s nudge. It was the Holy Spirit of God telling me to go see him on random days in early December. He was a friend and mentor. My best. We shared life. God gave me a wonderful father”.
So, how is God leading you today? An email or phone call? Perhaps it is that visit to a family member or friend that we promised we would “get around to doing.”
Do you have a story to share with us about God’s leading has impacted your life? Please share in the comments below! We’d love to hear it and be encouraged by your experiences.
Dick Whitworth
Director of Operations, STAR 93.3
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For years I did not go visit my father, who only lived 30 minutes away. His new wife did not like his children, including me. I tried my best to be nice to her, to no avail. Every time I stopped to visit, she would refuse to let me and my kids in the house. If my father came outside to visit, she yelled and screamed at all of us. She called the police on us for being on the property. She even had a restraining order sent to my house, which my Dad know nothing about. My father had to resort to visiting us at our house. But she talked him into moving to Florida to keep him away from his children. Years later he moved back to Cincinnati. But he was older and just wanted to live in peace, so we didn’t hear from him. For many years my kids grew up without a Grandpa, but I could not bring myself to go near his house. I was in fear of how his wife would act, and I didn’t want my children to be stressed and upset.
One day I was driving passed his exit and I felt like someone was telling me to visit my Dad. I kept telling myself “I’m not going near that house”, but the feeling was so strong. I finally turned around and headed back towards his exit and wondered why. I told my son, who was in the car with me, that I had a strong feeling that I need to visit my father. He was happy and couldn’t wait to see him. He was 17 years old and hadn’t seen his Grandfather in over 10 years. I was scared of what was going to happen when I pulled up in front of his house, but I knew I had to go.
I had knots in my stomach when I knocked on their door. His wife opened the door and was actually nice to me, which really surprised me. We sat and talked to my father for over 3 hours. It was really nice to catch up and I told him we would come back next weekend to visit again. That evening he had a massive heart attack and passed away. I felt so blessed and grateful to see my Dad one more time before he was gone. I know in my heart that the Holy Spirit “nudged me” that day. And it has made my faith so much stronger. 🤍