Dec 19, 2013

Listening to God and Obeying

by Clayton Pinder

 

 

Editor’s note: A dear servant of the Lord, Clayton Pinder served as our Conference President in 2001, using the theme “Try God.” He submitted several good articles for his President’s Page that year; this one appeared in March 2001. Clayton’s obituary is on page 26 in this issue.

 

 

Do you ever hear God talking to you? How do you respond?

In my life, I’ve learned to listen for Him. The method God uses to communicate varies, but you can be sure it’s Him wanting to get your attention and reaction.

I’ve felt the Lord asking me to do something for Him many times. One instance occurred in the early 1970s, when I was working in Summersville, W.Va. A fellow employee got laid off. He was in management, had a large family, and didn’t believe in God.

Several times he talked to me about my faith and asked why I believed in God. He had been a choir boy when he was younger, but had gotten away from church. He confessed he didn’t have faith in God anymore. Frankly, he said it even stronger than that.

“I don’t believe in God and all that ‘stuff,’ ” he scowled. But he knew I did.

I didn’t see my friend for a couple of weeks. Then one day, when I was in a meeting, God spoke to me out of the blue: “Go see your friend.” The message was very clear and persistent. After “hearing” nothing but that, I asked to be excused and left to see my friend.

When I arrived at his house, he said he was expecting me. He had been very depressed. He told me that he had gone out that morning, bought a bottle of wine, and planned to commit suicide.

There he was—unemployed and a disappointment to his family. He was probably going to lose his house, and he didn’t know what to do. He felt that his life was really messed up.

I told him that God had sent me to see him. We talked a long while, and I finally asked him to Try God.

Once again he informed me that he didn’t believe in God, but he knew I did. Before I left, I convinced him not to do anything rash. “I’ll check on you in the morning,” I promised.

Later that night, a miracle happened. The next morning, I got a call from my friend. And what a call! The man on the phone was a new person—one who had tried God and found out what He can do.

My friend related that he had knelt by his bed and talked to God. He told God that he didn’t know how to pray, but that he wanted God to save him and help him.

In a very excited voice he told me how a “peace and warmth” had come over him, and that he knew he was safe and protected.

Earlier that morning, his former boss called and assured him that he would receive a paycheck until he got a new job. He told my friend he would give him the money to go home to be with his family, and would even help him sell his house. “Don’t worry about your house,” he said.

Here’s the important point: If you try God and put your trust in Him, and let Him lead you, you will receive salvation and His blessing.