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What would you grab if your building was on fire?


-bible
-planner
-wallet
-laptop
-ipad
-phone charger
-phone

In hindsight I would have grabbed some of my journals. 

Recently in my reading for school I was struck by a period in church history in which people did not know how to regard the Holy Spirit. The people often viewed Him as the lesser part of the Trinity. I too, could see myself as guilty. I would hear a prompting and debate, discuss, ponder, forget, and maybe on a good day obey. However, would I treat Jesus in such a manner? Or God the Father, if He manifested, perhaps in a burning bush? I would hope not!  So lately I have been trying to be more sensitive to the urgings of the Holy Spirit and immediately responsive. 

Wednesday afternoon the prompting was to go to sleep. Now I did wonder if I was being lazy or trying to avoid life. 7 past due assignments will do that to you! However, it was true that my studying was proving futile as I dozed after every few minutes. I took a 3 hour nap with plans to resume studying, only to be prompted to return to sleep. I ate a quick meal, sent some texts and went back to bed for an additional planned 5 hours. It took me awhile to fall asleep. As I listened to the book of Isaiah beginning at chapter 43, I told myself that if I got to chapter 50 and I was still awake then I would work on something in bed. The last thing I remember is Isaiah 48...

The next thing that awoke me was a distant banging. I was relieved to know I had fallen asleep. Suddenly I was aware of the sound of big engines in the parking lot and I noticed red flashing lights cascading over the blinds. I checked the phone- an hour before I had planned to awaken. I glanced out the window and saw 2 fire trucks! One with a ladder on top of my building! As I looked through my peep hole into the hallway I saw fire men on my floor! And smoke! 

I promptly grabbed the things listed above- glanced into Abby's room to see if there was anything of obvious importance to her and stood ready to leave. I couldn't help but thank God that I was alert and well rested instead of in some sort of zombie state from half studying half sleeping. My neighbor called and we shared what we could see from our balconies. Very soon the fire men started to retreat and so the impending danger seemed to have passed. Upon inquiry we separately discovered what had happened. That, perhaps, is for another blog. However, when I saw the fire investigator pull up I knew there was something to talk about. And talk we did!

The fire investigator was a Christian and so it became a 1AM fellowship that was unlikely to occur in any other way. Who knows what is to come from this night? All I know is I am glad I paid heed to the Holy Spirit who not only saw to it that I got my rest before the incident- but who also continues to keep me safe here in southeast DC. Truly there is no other way than to trust and obey.

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 19, 2014 at 10:16 PM

    It was really nice speaking with you under the circumstances. Profoundly grateful that they weren’t worse. Thank you for the link. I was wondering who that author was and if this was something you found that moved you to share. Then I got to the bottom and realized that it was way too familiar. I was tired as I drove back to the office but I reflected on our conversation. Seems I get those kinds of opportunities often.

    I am sending a Red Cross video link. Some of the footage is from DC Fire Department. This is what we do and deal with. Gives some perspective. I pray that you fulfill your destiny.


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCtrbHKn7rc&feature=youtu.be

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 19, 2014 at 10:18 PM

    Tried to respond directly but don't have your email

    ReplyDelete

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