Hear. Trust. Surrender. Obey.

This article was originally published in the Franklin News-Post.

An employee at our local hospital recently asked me to add her to my prayer list.  As we sat in the hospital cafeteria, I told her, let’s pray right now.  So, we did in the hospital cafeteria.


While the cafeteria was mostly empty, there were two women sitting at an adjoining table.  One woman commented, “Will you come pray with us?”  Without hesitation, I went over to speak with them.  I learned that it was a mother and daughter.  The mother was a volunteer in the hospital’s auxiliary.  They explained to me their situation with the loved one who was being treated in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).


After praying with them and as we wrapped up our conversation, the mother asked me, “Do you get by the hospital often?  If you do, can you stop by sometime and pray over my husband?”  I told her I could do that.  I started to consider my schedule and thought about the next time I would pass through Rocky Mount.


As I exited a side door to the hospital, I was thinking about my immediately travel to Roanoke.  I was thinking of all I had to do in the day ahead.  I walked around to the front of the hospital in the direction of where my car was parked.  While walking at a fairly brisk pace, I heard on my spirit, “Where are you going?” Immediately, I knew the source of the question.  And, I knew the intent of the question.  I turned the direction of my travel from that toward my vehicle to the main entrance of the hospital.  I walked straight to the ICU.


I spoke to the nursing staff and stated that I had been requested to visit a specific patient to pray over his life.  The daughter, who I had left in the cafeteria just a few moments before, had arrived in the ICU to discover that I had come there to fulfill the request that was made of me.  I laid hands on this man and spoke a prayer over his life, the lives of his family, and all of those working in his regard.  Then, I left.


Several weeks later, I had been invited to give a presentation to the volunteers of the CFMH auxiliary at their monthly meeting.  As I wrapped up the core of my presentation, a woman stood to share a testimony.  This is the woman who I had encountered in the basement cafeteria that day several weeks earlier.  She told her fellow volunteers of our encounter and her request for prayer for her husband.  She shared that out of obedience, I had showed up there to pray for her husband.  She spoke about his improving medical condition and his decision not to smoke.


I was overwhelmed and humbled as she shared this news.  All I could do was utter a praise to God for what He did in this situation.  I immediately recalled my desire to get to Roanoke after she had asked me to stop by for prayer.  I remember the admonition to go directly to the ICU.  I silently wondered why I needed to be reminded.


I was thankful I was obedient to the instruction I received on my spirit.  I was appreciative that God blessed me to hear a testimony about the condition of this woman’s loved one.  I have no doubt that both parts of our story, that was supplemental to the story that I came to share, touched the lives of many who were present to hear this.
Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning 2 John 1:6 (NLT).  Knowing that God called me to go directly to this man and pray for him in the moment served multiple purposes.  I was being obedient.  I was used by the power of the Holy Spirit to lay healing hands on this man.  I was used to encourage his daughter and wife.


Be obedient to the Word of God.  Be purposeful in your faith journey. Don’t put off for another day what He is asking of you today.