Meeting God at Hemphill Street

T

he drive home from the university was pretty much the same as every day before it.  I passed the same houses, the same businesses were peddling their wares on Cooper Street, the same construction zones were still under construction and probably always will be, and the same houses that were there on Monday, were there on Tuesday.  Yep! All in all, the drive home wasn’t all that spectacular, just routine!

As I neared Fort Worth, I began lining up my car to exit from the Interstate.  During the ride from Arlington, about 20 minutes, I had to maneuver from one side of the Interstate to the other in order to follow I-20 West.  At several points, other roads diverged from the Interstate, forcing me to change lanes in order to stay on course.  As I neared Fort Worth, however, I had to maneuver again, back to the right side, in order to exit the Interstate.  The fun just never ends!

I maneuvered through traffic with relatively little hassle.  I passed Campus Drive and came upon the south mixmaster, that’s what Texans affectionately call the junction of several major roads.  It looks more like the arms of an octopus and if you’re not careful those arms can make your life a living nightmare!  Just beyond the mixmaster, I saw the exit for Hemphill Street, my exit from the Interstate.  As I changed lanes, something happened in my car, something very exciting.

There were no flashing lights, no bells and whistles sounded, the horn didn’t start honking uncontrollably, nor did the radio go haywire.  For all intents and purposes, everything was normal inside the car except for me.  As I took the exit for Hemphill Street I felt God’s presence so real and so near.  The only word that came to mind to describe it was joy.  It wasn’t a giddy happiness or a knee-slapping laughter kind of joy but a warm sense of peace, contentment, and reassurance that comes from knowing you are securely in the center of God’s will no matter what the circumstances of life tell you.

A passage from Nehemiah came to mind as I reflected on how good God is.  He is good all the time, not just when things are going well, but all the time and even more so when life’s road changes from a smooth path to a minefield.  Nehemiah fully understood this feeling when he penned the following from Nehemiah 8:10: Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Nehemiah had gained the permission of the King to return from his exile in Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.  As the construction proceeded, Nehemiah also had the word of the Lord read to the people.  Upon hearing it, they began to weep and mourn with sadness.  Nehemiah wanted them to be joyful, to dedicate this time to the Lord and to rejoice in His provision.  His enthusiasm can is especially felt when he tells the people the God’s joy is their strength.

The people were to rejoice with God’s joy, not their own.  They were to stand in His strength and to walk in His light.  These are the things God provides to those who follow Him, who have accepted His son as Savior and Lord.  In the middle of a construction project, with enemies all around them, with no written guarantee for tomorrow, Nehemiah encouraged his people to rejoice in the Lord.

I want you to know that Nehemiah’s word is still good and applicable to our lives today.  Wherever you are in your walk with God, know that He loves you, that He cares for you, that He is working even now to provide your needs, and He wants you to rejoice in Him.  God’s strength and joy can be found in your office, in your home, while paying bills, in the grocery store, at the car wash, etc.  Yes, you can even meet with God on Hemphill Street!