Read, Listen, and Obey
by Tracy Gordon
“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.” –Psalm 27:4-6
There are moments in life when we feel overwhelmed, uncertain, or alone. It’s in these times God often brings encouragement in the most unexpected ways. Sometimes it’s a comforting word from a friend, a passage of Scripture that speaks directly to our situation, or a quiet assurance in our hearts that we are not forgotten.
In the Bible, we are reminded over and over of three specific themes: to read (Scripture), to listen (for the Lord’s promptings) and to be obedient (follow His calling on your heart). I recently had a profound spiritual encounter and was the blessed recipient of someone doing just that.
As many of you know, my son Jimmy has been battling a severe skin condition for over a year. It can get debilitating, to the point of him not being able to work. When Jimmy has flare-ups, it is extremely painful and he can be susceptible to infection due to his compromised immune system. I don’t care if your child is 3 years old or 30 years old, a mama’s heart aches and breaks when her child suffers and you feel helpless. Recently, after about a month of Jimmy feeling so much better and his skin clearing and getting stronger, he had another flare-up and ended up in the ER. A few days later, I was sitting in church. I didn’t have a sad look on my face…I wasn’t crying…I was just normal me, or so I thought.
Throughout the service, I was thinking about Jimmy and begging God for mercy. What happened next blew my mind! I was sitting in my pew after taking communion and a friend walked past me to go back to her seat two rows behind me. She did a U-turn and came back to my pew, sat down next to me during a song, grabbed my hand and said, “What’s going on? I’m sensing you are really heavy-hearted.” Oh my gosh, how did she know?! I had not shared anything with her up to this point. Upon hearing her words, I completely broke down. To be honest, I needed to. I was so worried about Jimmy. I cried with her, I shared with her, and she just held my hand and listened and offered encouragement. It was in that very moment that I realized that God sees me! She had been obedient to the Lord’s nudging to approach me and because of that, gave me a great blessing from Him. I can’t thank her enough for being the hands and feet of Jesus to me at a time I desperately needed a tangible sign. Grateful, beyond grateful!
As I think back to this encounter, Psalm 27:4-6 really hits home. I came in that Sunday seeking the Lord and feeling safe in His house. He was my shelter and set me up high to say, “Child, I see you!” With that recognition, the enemies of fear, worry, doubt, and anxiety began to fade. When it was time to sing the last song of the service, I worshiped and praised God with thanksgiving for this beautiful gift He sent me through Erin. It was a total confirmation that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
There’s a quiet rhythm in the way Jesus meets us. Never late, never hurried, always arriving at the exact moment our strength begins to thin. Scripture is full of people who reached their breaking point, only to discover that Jesus was already on His way. Think of the disciples on the stormy sea. They had exhausted every ounce of their own ability before Jesus walked toward them on the waves. His timing wasn’t early, but it was perfect. He came at the very moment fear threatened to swallow them. Jesus often waits until the noise around us quiets and our self-reliance cracks. Not to punish us, but to make His presence unmistakable. When He steps in, we know it wasn’t our strength that saved us; it was His.
You may be in a difficult season of uncertainty with no solution in sight. You may feel like the disciples rowing against the wind, wondering why help hasn’t arrived. But Jesus has a pattern: He shows up at the exact moment when His presence will mean the most. He knows what you’re carrying. He knows what you fear and He orchestrates moments of encouragement at just the right time to remind us of His presence and faithful love. If you find yourself weary today, be encouraged; God sees you! Allow Him to speak to your heart and stay attentive to the ways He may send encouragement. His encouragement isn’t a pep talk; it’s a reminder of who He is. And when we remember who He is, hope rises again.
Jesus, thank You for knowing exactly when to step into our struggles. When our strength fades, remind us that You are near. Speak courage into our hearts today and help us trust Your perfect timing. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.