The Invisible God, Nearby

From the Prophetic Etiquette Series

Sometimes God’s nearness is quiet, like the background hum of the universe. Other times, He breaks through with a vivid confirmation that leaves us breathless. Both are love. Both are ways He shepherds us along the path.

One unforgettable moment in my own journey still speaks to me decades later.

Say Yes to Detroit

It was 1985. Terri and I were discerning whether to move from Arkansas back to my hometown of Detroit to continue our ministry. We didn’t yet have an invitation, but we sensed unity in our hearts that this was the Lord’s leading.

So we packed our minivan in the early morning, tucked our three children inside (we would later add two more to the family circle), and began the long twenty-hour drive north. We were talking about our sense that God might be calling us to the Detroit metropolitan area, where I was raised.

Only minutes from our home in Little Rock, a big box truck passed us on the road and cut in front of us. Its back doors were caked with grime and dust. But scrawled across that dirt, in letters nearly a foot tall, were these words:

“SAY YES TO DETROIT.”

We gasped. We laughed. We sat in stunned silence. Had an angel with a dirty finger written it just for us?

That startling moment became a living parable: the invisible God making Himself seen in the most ordinary of places.

Confirmation Along the Way

We already had Scripture, prayer, and unity pointing us toward Detroit. That dirty truck wasn’t the foundation of our decision, but it became a confirmation—a grace we didn’t ask for, but were glad to receive.

Later, when resistance arose and opposition mounted to this transition, we clung to that moment. We remembered the dusty letters, and our hearts steadied again. God knew we would need that story to anchor us.

This is the way of the Spirit. He doesn’t always speak so dramatically. But sometimes He breaks through in ways that surprise us, reassure us, and keep us from turning aside when the road grows hard.

Why God Gives Confirmations

Paul said in Acts 17 that God orchestrates history so that we might “seek Him and perhaps grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

Confirmations like this are part of that dynamic. They are breadcrumbs on the path of faith. Not meant to replace discernment, but to strengthen it. Not meant to be the whole meal, but to encourage us that we’re still on the trail.

The invisible God is not far away. He is “hiding in plain sight,” waiting for us to use the eyes of our hearts to perceive His nearness. And sometimes, in His mercy, He scrawls a message on the back of a dirty truck just so we won’t forget.

The Invitation

If you’re facing a costly decision, seek Him first in His Word, in prayer, and in unity with trusted others. And as you walk, stay open. The Spirit may surprise you with an affirmation that steadies your heart.

The invisible God delights to reveal Himself, sometimes in the least likely places. And when He does, you’ll never forget it.

✝️ Prayer: Lord, thank You for the moments when You confirm what You’ve already been speaking. Give me a heart with ears, eyes that see the unseen, and a spirit that trusts Your timing. Steady my heart in Your will, and surprise me with Your creative love along the way. Amen.

👉 Reflection question for readers: Have you ever received a surprising confirmation from God—something small but unforgettable that helped anchor you in His will?