At a missions school in Thailand, I prayed for a practical way to help students hear God’s voice. What happened next reminded me that when we listen, God still speaks in surprising ways.
Teaching Students to Hear God’s Voice
At our missions school in Thailand, I was leading a session on serving as global workers in Southeast Asia. The students were preparing for three months of ministry, and one of our classes focused on trusting, listening to and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
As I prayed, I asked God to show me a practical way to help them recognise His voice.
That evening, Peter and I were heading to a church event where we would be serving dinner to street sweepers. On the way, I kept asking God for a simple exercise I could share with the students.
I remembered a practice I’d read about: sitting in God’s presence, writing down what you sensed Him saying. So, I grabbed a piece of paper in the car and asked God for a word about someone I might meet.
Three words came quickly: “orange stripes” and “door.”
I jotted them down and tucked the paper in my purse, not thinking much of it afterward.
A Surprising Encounter
Hours later, as the meal wound down and the music began, I noticed something unusual. Every street sweeper wore the same blue uniform – except for one man. Can you guess what he was wearing? He was wearing orange stripes.
My heart leapt. I remembered the paper. Could this be what God had spoken?
I walked over, greeted him in Thai and introduced myself. When I asked his name, he said, “Pratu.”
In Thai, pratu means “door.”
I showed him the slip of paper with the words orange stripes and door. His eyes widened in surprise, and a small, shy smile spread across his face. He was Buddhist, not yet ready to follow Jesus. But I knew this was a divine appointment. A seed was planted.
I told him that God saw him and loved him. That was enough for that moment.
Teaching Students to Hear God’s Voice
I’d love to say he gave his life to Christ right there, but that wasn’t the story. It was the beginning of a journey, a seed I pray will grow in the years to come.
What it taught me was this: God speaks in ways we don’t expect. If we listen closely, He will lead us right where He wants us to be.
Following Jesus is quite an adventure. I want to keep listening – don’t you?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.