Friday, February 27

Listen to The Messages

Kit Chappell

1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (CEB)

Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t suppress the Spirit.  Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.

Focus verse:  Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages

We met Ronald and Harriet on a lay witness weekend and became instant friends.  Several months later they called to tell us they were at Duke Medical Center with their 4 year-old granddaughter.  It seems their hospital in Rockingham was not able to diagnose her problem and had transferred Hannah to Duke.  We insisted they stay with us when not at the hospital. 

Hannah had been at Duke for about a week while they ran tests.  On my way home from work one afternoon I had a strong ”nudge” to stop at Duke and check in on them.  I knew they were waiting for some answers any day.  In my heart I was fearful of what the doctors had found and knew I didn’t want to be there if it was bad news.  However, as hard as I tried to convince myself that I should just go home, that “nudge” was pushing even harder.  Very reluctantly, I pulled off the expressway and parked in Duke’s garage.  When I reached the 5^th floor, I met them in the hallway.  They had just been told that Hannah had leukemia.  We sat together and cried and prayed, asking God for healing. 

They spent months at Duke and for 3 weeks Hannah was in intensive care after a reaction to her first chemo treatment.  We spent many hours together praying for Hannah.  Today Hannah is a beautiful 17-year old young woman who is cancer-free. 

Even though following the Spirit message I received that day was one of the hardest things I have done, I am so thankful I did.  Our friendship and our faith have grown even stronger as we knew God was walking with Hannah, Ronald and Harriet through this time.

Prayer:  Father God, help us to listen for, and hear your words to us even though you may be asking us to do something really difficult.  We pray we will not “brush off” your messages.  Amen