Living by the Nudge

The Willowbrook Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, has a patio located to the side of the main entrance and this particular morning I decided to walk through the patio on the way to my doctor's office.  There is a small bench in the patio area and as I walked through I saw that a young woman and her little girl (maybe four years old) were seated on the bench and the lady was reading a story out of a pig picture book to the little girl.  I noticed them but felt no particular "nudge" to stop and visit with them.

When I came out of my doctor's office and walked again through the patio area, I saw that the young lady and her little girl were still there.  But, instead of reading out of the book, the lady was dangling it from her hands and the little girl was playing in some gravel and sand to one side.

This time there was a definite nudge!

As I walked past her and the little girl I felt a definite "nudge" to stop and talk to them about the love of God.  However,  I did not want to walk up to a stranger and talk to her about anything and definitely not about a subject like the love of God.  So, I just kept walking, all the time trying to convince myself that it was a crazy idea and I didn't want to embarrass myself by "butting in" where I had no right to be.

So, I kept walking—and all the time the Spirit of God was telling me "you need to go back."  Finally, about ten or fifteen feet past where she was sitting I stopped dead still in the pathway and talked to God about this situation.  But, even as I told Him I was embarrased and "anyway, what could I say to her?", He kept saying "You need to go back".  Even as I tried to reason with Him and tell Him "This is crazy"--I was already turning around to go back down the path toward the lady.

She was still sitting staring into space.  I remember that she had big blue eyes and those eyes were the saddest most grief-filled eyes I had ever seen.  I stopped in front of her and began to talk.

I told her my name and then said:  "I don't know why you're here and I don't need to know but God told me to stop and tell you that He loves you.  He wants you to know that you are not forsaken, that He is here with you.  Regardless,  of what is happening, and again, I don't need to know, still He wants you to know that He loves you that He is here with you."

She just sat there staring at me.  I even wondered for a brief few seconds if she had understood what I had said.  I thought it was possible that she was so deep into her grief that maybe she didn't understand what I had said.  It was obvious that she was in shock and I thought there was a chance she had not heard or at least had not understand what I was saying.

Suddenly, she stood up and ran the few steps between us and threw her arms around me.  She was weeping and all she could say was "Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!"

What a joy it was to hug that young mother and hear her say "Thank you."  I have not seen her since then so I don't know how things have gone for her, but I know I will always be thankful that God gave me the strength and the grace to go back to her and give her a simple message from the heart of God.

May we ALL be sensitive to the "nudge of the Spirit of God."  ALWAYS!