Atttteeeeeeention!

The other day, I was on my way to class and realized I was almost there and 30 minutes early. I decided to stop at a store and purchase something to drink. As I parked, I noticed that the vehicle next to me was running and the headlights were on. Dark was quickly approaching but there was still some daylight. I sat in my car for a few minutes just taking in the surroundings. When no one immediately returned to the running vehicle, I wondered if I wouldn't be better off without water.

You know, one of those "nagging" feelings...call it intuition or training or maybe even a gut feeling. I ignored it. After sitting in my car for about 3 minutes, I got out of my vehicle all the while feeling "No-don't do it." It was then that I noticed a male passenger in the vehicle with the running engine. He appeared to be in a state of deep "sleep" with his chin on his chest and total oblivion to the world around him. I ignored it and proceeded to the glass door of the store. I could see the cashier behind the counter as I approached. I pulled on the handle and it was locked...I pulled on the other door and it was locked...I did not ignore it. I raced back to my car so fast, put it in reverse and got out of there.

Something about "that feeling" made me re-evaluate my visit to the store. As I retold that story, I had to ask myself "How many times does God speak to us and we ignore it." Yesterday I got a phone call from a friend asking for prayer. She told me she got a negative and serious diagnosis from the doctor. She added "If [God] was trying to get my attention, He has it now."

Even when we "feel" like God is calling, we put it off. How long will God have to wait for us to hear his voice, how many warning signs will we get? How long will we ignore His call? How long before we pay attention?

We must pay more careful attention therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
Hebrews 2:1-5


*I do not like stories that leave me with questions therefore I will add that I called a police unit to check out the well being of the passenger. The entire episode took about 20 minutes and he still had not moved. Once the officers arrived, I went to class. A driver never returned to the vehicle.