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Have you ever had "something inside" nudge you to do something, or have you ever driven your familiar route home but "something inside" insisted that you take another route? Or, have you, while driving your car, changed the station on your radio, only to look up at the right time to see that you were veering towards an oncoming vehicle? Or have you ever been awakened by a sudden urge to pray for someone? I have, on many occasions.
I purchased a new car. It has many new gadgets that my other car did not have and other gadgets that are now located in a different place, like the gear shift: In my old car, the gear shift was located by the steering wheel, whereas in the new car, it is located in the centre console between the seats. The windshield wipers are on the right-hand side, whereas they were on the left-hand side in my old car. As I was driving my new car, it started to rain, and I had to find the handle in order to wipe away the raindrops from the windshield. My eyes glanced away from the road for a couple of seconds, but "something" — a "nudge" — made me look up. As I had taken my eyes off the road, I had veered off into the oncoming traffic lane. With my heart in my throat, I slowed down, drove the car over to the side of the road, and found what I was looking for.
What makes us look or react just in the nick of time? I believe it is the prompting of the Holy Spirit from within.
Do we listen and respond to a burning thought or a nudge to pray for someone, or do we ignore it? Nudges can also be simple reminders that a letter needs to be written, an e-mail sent, a phone call made, or a visit offered. These reminders are often dismissed with another thought that someone else will do it, or that it will be taken care of. Could it be that when we dismiss these nudges or urgings, we miss an opportunity to help someone who is in need and whose prayer would be answered through us in Christ?
John 14:26 – But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. (NRSV)
We are God's eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet so that we can carry on with God's business — the business of caring, loving, helping, and praying for each other, in Jesus.
The next time when you are awakened in the middle of the night and you have the sudden urge to pray for someone, it may well be the Holy Spirit Who is nudging you. Or if you see someone who needs help, and it is in your power to offer it, and something is tugging at your heartstrings, I believe that it is the Holy Spirit nudging you to act.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to pay attention to those little nudges from the Holy Spirit in order to carry out Your business of loving each other, not only by words, but by deeds as well. Help us to carry out Your will on this earth by simple acts of kindness towards each other. Amen.
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Saturday, September 7, 2024 – In Angola — In June, Sahel Academy had its closing assemblies to celebrate the year and say our farewells. Pray as we said goodbye well even though it was hard: for those who are leaving to look ahead with excitement and those staying to have a renewed sense of purpose amid a changing community. Pray for the graduates to remember their calling and to take their faith back to their families
terminal illness: "Update September 5, 2024: Gisele had the biopsy done yesterday but will not get the results for..." 
May it be so. Thanks for sharing Rosemary.
A big amen to that. God watches over us.
Blessings.
I call those nudges my angel. Especially the one that instead of going my regular route I am to go a different way then find there was an accident that I could have been involved in. We always appreciate my angel nudging me to pay attention. Thanks.
Dear Madam,
I truly have been blessed.
I experience that often and I just got encouraged the more.
Lets be always led by the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Reading these devotions every morning just give me the strength to stay focused in my daily routine.
No matter where I am it makes me feel the Holy Spirit presence everywhere.
Thank you for taking your time each morning in writing these inspirational devotions.
(Trinidad)
Good Morning! Again, God’s perfect timing. I was just writing a sermon about listening to God and feeling those “nudges”. And now here is your devotion confirming all! God is good! Thank you again for your inspiring words! Love how you write because we can relate to every word.
God Bless you today as you continue to be His hands and feet in our world.
Rosemary, how applicable your Devotion must be for so many of us. All I wish to add is the example of the repeating lovable nudge given by me (and by so many others under similar circumstances) as I serve the basic needs of a spouse who, week by week and day by day, travels farther along the road of dementia never to return.
Isn’t it strange that a caregiver’s only ‘payment’ is the look and smile on the face of the loved one who is ‘saying’, “Thank you Dear.”
So I say to you Rosemary, “Thank you for today’s Devotional on all those types of much needed nudges.”
Hi Rosy:
I have been taken off the road many, many times only to find a massive accident where we would have been had we kept driving. So I know exactly what you mean by that “nudge”. I phoned a girlfriend and after talking to her for awhile, advised her to go to the hospital and have her cough checked out. She later died. Had I not called, we would not have been able to say good-bye.
Our God is amazing. I thank Him every day for every blessing He pours down on me, from the smallest, (a hot facecloth first thing in the morning on my face) to the largest, keeping my family and friends safe. I praise Him every day and I look forward to these postings on a daily basis.
Thank you, Rosemary, for your reminders.
Thank God for nudging us.
We need too, to always have a wariness about nudges. If the nudges are in accord with the Word of God, go with them for they are prompted by the Holy Spirit.
If the nudges push us toward something contrary to the Word of God, they are prompted by Satan and, as Jesus Christ when tempted said, “Get behind me Satan,” we must put down anything of the Evil One, and do the will of our Father in heaven.
God bless you mightily, Rosemary. Even in the matter of loving one another, we are to do so in God’s way.
I’m not meaning to take anything away from your devotion — I’m just adding to it.
Good morning, Rosemary!
I wonder how many were like me — nodding as I read your Devotional? Like you, I have had that “nudge” to act and do try to pay attention and do just that. But there have also been times that I’ve felt that “nudge” and ignored it….and when I did, I realized later why I should have listened and done as I was being told to do!
I believe that when we feel that nudge or hear that voice whispering in our mind to do something, deep down we know who it is telling us to act. So why do we sometimes delay or hesitate? Why do we at times feel the need to ask “why?” instead of having either blind obedience or the Faith of a child to believe and do? Perhaps it isn’t really doubt about what we’re to do, perhaps it’s just that at times we don’t think we “heard” right and then second-guess! Thankfully, in your case with the new car, you listened so that you could write and share this devotional!!
Hopefully today’s devotional will serve to reawaken that Faith of a child that I believe still exists in us adults… even when (also like a child) we don’t on occasion readily listen.
Please do continue to write!
God bless!
Thank you for your insightful devotion. I have sometimes tried to ignore the nudge, and I have always regretted it! And each time I say to myself, why didn’t I pay attention!
Have had these nudges many time, and they are increasing as I am getting older AND I AM LISTENING far more than I used to.
Thanks for the very important reminder, Rosy.