Bible Verse: Romans 8:26-27 New Living Translation (NLT) The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will."
Story: (I apologize in advance for including such a long narrative, but I believe it illustrates in a powerful way how amazing our God is!) A few months ago, I was driving down the road and my heart was very heavy (that's an understatement; I was completely overwhelmed and in total inner torment). Horrific memories of things that had happened to me in the past were plaguing my mind, and I couldn't shake the pain. I felt so dirty, used, and ashamed. At that moment, my only thought was, "If I speed up enough and hit a car head on, I can end this pain forever." I stepped on my gas pedal and reached 80 miles an hour, but there were no oncoming cars in sight for me to collide with. Then this song came on the radio, "Call My Name," and I began to cry. I was fighting so hard with the urge to just end it all. I tried to repeat the name of Jesus, but I couldn't say a word, so I just thought it over and over again in my head -- "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" I saw a school bus coming toward me about a mile away, and as it approached, I continued to accelerate, and I remember thinking "This is perfect -- I'll never survive a head on collision with a bus!" My speedometer hit 90 miles an hour. 95. The school bus loomed before me, and I gently veered into the oncoming lane as the chorus of the song came on. "Just call My name," it kept repeating. I could see the bus driver. He was wearing a blue hat and he was coming directly toward me, honking his horn. The sound of the horn (and God's presence, I believe) startled me back to reality, and I gently eased back into my own lane and gradually slowed down to the speed limit. I couldn't see well at all because my eyes were still filled with tears. I pulled over to the shoulder and sat there sobbing as the song continued to play. I still couldn't speak, but in my mind I kept thinking the name of Jesus over and over again. I couldn't figure out why I would want to end my life -- everything was so good in my life at that time. I had found the love of my life, we were building the house of our dreams, and I had 3 children and a family that I loved dearly that I would NEVER want to leave in that way. "Why, Lord?" I thought, "Why do I feel this way?" I was totally perplexed as to why I would even consider suicide a viable option to ending my misery, so I desperately cried out silently in my soul. At the time, I couldn't even form much of a cohesive thought, but I do remember thinking something along the lines of, "Jesus, please take away this awful feeling and help me to forget the past, to focus on the present, and to look forward to the wonderful future that You have prepared for me." Suddenly, I felt a peace come over me that I cannot explain in words. I wiped the tears from my eyes, carefully eased my car back onto the road, and drove home as if nothing had happened. I told no one about my close call, but I thank the Lord for sending this song to me at just the time I needed to hear it and for hearing my prayer even when I couldn't speak a word.
Prayer: "Dear Lord, Thank You for saving me from my own momentary despair a few months ago. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that can interpret the inner thoughts and feelings of my heart that I sometimes cannot even express in words. Other times, when I know what words I want to say, but I just can't get them out, You still understand my heart's cry. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayers and for being there in an instant whenever I call on Your name. You are truly a wonderful and miraculous God! In Jesus' precious and holy name I pray, AMEN."
Song: Third Day "Call My Name"
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