Last Tuesday I went for a walk. Since my surgery I’ve only been able to do a third of a mile, so I have a set route. When I got to the place where I normally turn back, I decided instead to keep going around the next block. That would stretch my walk to about a half mile, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for that yet. Still, I really thought I should keep going.
When I got partway down the block after turning the corner, I started to pass a ratty older car. A man inside the car said, “Hi. God bless you.” I returned the greeting and the blessing.
His name was Jim. We began a conversation. He showed me pictures of his daughters. Then I asked if I could pray for him. As I prayed, the LORD brought a word of encouragement for him. He held my hand and started to cry, then told me some of the difficulties he was facing.
I held his hand while he cried. After about 20 minutes, I blessed him one more time and said goodbye and continued my walk – thinking about just how I was going to explain this delay to Bob when I got home!
When I left, I had no intention of going in that direction or walking that far. God apparently had other intentions. I guess it pays to stay attentive to His gentle leading.
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” [Psalm 37:24 NLT]
