By Lynn Moffett
Special to The PREVIEW
Have you ever done something you were relatively sure God told you to do? Me, too.
Bits and pieces. My life is made up of bits and pieces of “to do” things from the Lord.
Sometimes, doing these things feels idiotic, sometimes it is so scary I want to pretend I didn’t hear and sometimes the doing fits me perfectly.
About a year ago, I thought I heard the Lord say, “Come walk with me.”
Since my hiking years were long gone due to knee problems, I often joked that when I went for a ride — meaning getting in my car to cruise down Trujillo Road or south to Chama, over Plumtaw or up to Williams, to view the river, meadows or majestic mountains — I was taking my walk or going for a hike. So, when I heard “Come walk with me,” I knew He meant get in my car and go for a drive.
I also felt a prod to take this trip on a weekly basis and make my “walk” a special time of worship. One more thing I added to the mix: I decided to drive only paved roads since I didn’t want my car to get too dirty too soon.
Let me be clear. Worship in song is part of my everyday routine. I mute everything at home because I live in an apartment and don’t want to bother my neighbors.
You might doubt God speaks. That’s OK. You can attribute my little jaunts to my imagination, or my desire to earn something for the kingdom. The point is, one year ago, I started to cruise and sing praise and worship songs at the top of my lungs. I did break in the winter months when driving became hazardous.
Last week, I joined an online prayer group. One of the scriptures was the timely II Chronicles 7:11-19. That’s the “if my people” scripture if you’re wondering.
While at prayer, one of the members said, “Lord, sweep through this town. Blow through with the wind of your spirit.”
Chills ran up my arms and I envisioned her prayer and how it would change this small town that had lost the sense of His presence in the last 10 years. I couldn’t speak.
That’s not a condition that lasts long with me.
Others in the group were silent as well. I think all of us saw an awakening in this place that was more than revival, but restoration in the churches as well as in those who had turned from the Lord.
It also included everybody else who was thirsting for, seeking after, the Living God, believer or not, whether they knew His name or not. Even those I’d turned my back on because they didn’t believe the way I did, and those who scoff at Christians.
When we finished our prayer time, I turned on a program I sometimes catch in the afternoon. They talked about end-times prophecy, an unusual topic for this group. The thing that stood out to me was when one of the men said, “There can be no revival without repentance.”
Now I backtracked to the scripture. “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” — AMP.
Heal their land. Heal our land. Those words always meant our country or our world to me. No more.
Humble themselves.
Turn from their wicked ways.
I realized then not doing those things hindered God’s plan.
Of course, I went to work on that immediately. I did. I repented for ignoring people who chose different paths, and I made a point of forgiving those who did scoff in my face when they learned I was a Christian.
Then I asked for guidance about how to pray for our lovely town and surroundings.
What do you think I heard? Yes. “Come walk with me.”
Bits and pieces fell into place. Who knew? Without an awareness of the purpose, for one year I went for a “walk” with the Lord and sang His praise, oblivious to the fact I was following scripture.
“After talking it over with the people, Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for GOD; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing, Give thanks to GOD, His love never quits.” — II Chronicles 20:21 (MSG).
I had been preparing the way, like those who went out before the army. Today, the Lord and I went for our “walk” and joined the battle, this time with me fully aware of what we were doing. Or at least seeing a glimmer.
Jesus amazes me. Every day.
P.S. By the time I got home, I realized my paved route this last year covered the lakes area. Someone else must have the downtown, Aspen Springs, up to the pass, and down 84 assignments, and don’t forget Trujillo Road.
