Travelin' By Faith

Calvin is usually the one posting but I had something I wanted to share.

I know from time to time God reveals Himself to us but this one was too powerful not to share. I first have to give you a little background so you’ll understand why this God moment was so powerful.

As most of you know, Calvin and I drive for FedEx Custom Critical and we drive all over the country. We have many opportunities for God moments and this is one of them. About a year ago I was reading in my bible in Luke, chapter 14. In verses 25 through 35 Jesus teaches about the cost of being a disciple and this is where God spoke to me. No, not audibly but just placed a question in my heart. He asked me, “Have you considered the cost of following me?” I remember looking up and thinking, “What does it matter, If we love you don’t we have to follow you no matter what?” I didn’t receive an answer. Later I would find out why. A few months after this I was driving my 11 hour shift. I have tons of time to talk to God and sometimes I even listen.  This particular time He placed a question in my heart, “Do you believe me?” “Of course I believe you.” I replied. He said, “I know you believe in me, but do you believe me?” Hmm, I didn’t really think there was, but I guess there is a difference. I didn’t answer Him right away because I felt like I had come to a crossroad moment in my faith and I had to think seriously about my answer. I thought for a few days and told Him, “Yes, I not only believe in you but I believe you.” I knew His words to be true.

Now, fast forward to March 2010, my birthday is coming up and my youngest daughter, Terri, flies home to celebrate with the rest of us. As Terri and I are driving around town, I share with her these things that God and I have been discussing. We stopped to shop in Lifeway bookstore. Terri came across a bible study by Beth Moore and brought it to me. She asked if I had done the study “Believing God.” At first I told her I was sure I had because I’ve done all of them except her new one about Esther. Terri asked, “Are you SURE you’ve done this one?” Beth Moore had had the same conversation I was having with God. I was stunned!

Then, on my birthday, Terri and I went to hear President Jimmy Carter teach Sunday school in his church in Plains. His lesson was from Luke 13 about Jesus healing the crippled woman on the Sabbath and how, as usual, the synagogue rulers were upset with the people for coming to be healed on the Sabbath. It amazes me how they weren’t blown away by the fact that there was someone present who could actually HEAL this woman, they were just concerned about their rules being broken. Jesus had already taught that it was lawful to do “good” on the Sabbath. The point, I think, President Carter was making is Jesus went ahead and did things that were good even if it went against the rules. Then the visiting pastor preached from Luke 14. YEP -verses 25 through 35, the cost!

Okay, so you’re probably asking yourselves, “Where is she going with this?” Glad you asked.

March 11th we got a job picking up in Bath, New York going to McAlester, Oklahoma. The next day, March 12th, we were 238 miles away from McAlester when I saw an elderly gentlemen on the side of the road hitchhiking. He was holding his little cardboard sign that read “Need ride to McAlester, OK” WHAT? NO WAY! God wants me to pick this man up and give him a ride? I can’t! It’s against the rules!
I began to pray, “Oh, God, PLEASE send someone to pick this poor old man up, he needs a ride.”

God said, “I sent you.”

“But God, we can’t pick him up. We’re not allowed to, it’s against FedEx rules. We could lose our jobs.”

God said, “Some people lose their lives doing my will.”

As I continue to drive down the road debating this with God I cross a bridge over a creek named “TURNBACK CREEK!” I KID YOU NOT!!! Another mile down the road (yes, I’m still driving) there is a billboard on the left hand side of the road that is old and partially torn. All that I could read was “…word of God… and death...” I’m still driving down the road and mile after mile, driving further and further away from this elderly gentleman when God’s words came back to me – THE COST! I guess I really didn’t understand the cost as it pertained to me. I was not willing to lose my job or explain what was going on to Calvin so I kept driving.
No, I never did turn around. At first I felt as though God was wagging His finger at me saying “I gave you a test and you failed, MISERABLY! I asked you for a cup of water; you didn’t give it to me. When I was hungry; you didn’t feed me. When I ‘NEEDED A RIDE’ you didn’t give me one.” But it was satan beating me up, not God. God gently told me I didn’t fail. It was a lesson to teach me His ways, to learn that sometimes I may have to go completely against what is right to me and do what is right to Him.

I learned that I was NOT prepared for the cost. I just wasn’t. The song “I Surrender All” came to my mind and I had to ask myself, do I? Have I? Will I? This time it was just a man needing a ride. One day it may be someone’s eternal life at stake.

By the way, the state we were in when we saw the elderly gentleman hitchhiking was Missouri – the “SHOW ME” state. Ironic, huh?

Thank you for the privilege of sharing the powerful message God shared with me.