Thus, it is written - "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness."

     I have an actual story to share. We, in Manila, have our regular weekly bible fellowships. We hold it in our law office (yes, i'm a lawyer). It used to be Wednesday nights from 6:30 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. Recently, we moved it, for everybody's convenience, to Friday night. Most of the people who come need a lot of prayers for different situations, either with their families, businesses or personal needs. One of them, sometime about August of last year, suddenly attended out of curiosity. At the end of each bible session, we ask for prayer requests and this person who recently came, when asked for a specific request for prayer, answered "I have really nothing to specifically pray for. My family is okay, my job and the family business are okay. My health is doing fine (plays basketball regularly). The reason i am here is because i want to see why you do these things. You're a busy person and apparently, you still do all these good works for everyone and teach the bible." That being the case, we prayed a general prayer for blessing for him.

     Within two weeks from the time our visitor came, he attended again but this time, it's on a different tune. Not waiting for the end of the bible session or prayer time, he revealed he had suddenly discovered that he had a heart condition. So bad was his heart condition that when he was doing the treadmill exercise, the nurse attending to him had to shout to tell him to stop or he might suffer a heart attack. The test was necessary because the day before, as he was crossing the street in Makati, he felt a different pain in the chest. He went for a second opinion. The doctors agree that he needed to go through a bypass operation. He was only 43 years old. Not believing the prognosis, he went to a third doctor, this time, it's their family heart doctor. The news became worse. He really needed to do the bypass, urgently. From someone who had no needs or prayer, this time, all the people in the bible study had to pray for him. In fact, that night, he was the focus of all our prayers.

     Sometimes He do things which we do not understand. Sometimes, we are in a place we do not expect to be. Sometimes we just follow our instincts, sometimes our conscience or sometimes that small still voice. The first time that person attended the bible study, he thought he had no needs. Of course, our minds' thoughts are very limited. But God sees things differently and moves our minds and decisions even when we don't know it. I believe that person was obedient to follow a thought or still voice to attend his first bible study, not really knowing why, he just knew he had to. He was in a place where people reached out to God to deal on very difficult things, people who believe in the supernatural ability and strength of the God who created everything.

     Well, guess what? He did undergo a triple bypass operation by September. He attended regularly all the other succeeding bible studies. We visited him in Asian Hospital. We spent a lot of prayers before and after the bypass. Last January, he played his first basketball game at a slow pace. Presently, he keeps on reading the bible and thanks God that he's still alive to take care of his family, specially his two young children.

     How about you, have you been listening to that small still voice? In the meantime, read Psalm 34 and understand the heart of God in your life.

God bless you all.