A Phone Call in the Night
“It was a dark and stormy night.”
Last Thursday night was truly a dark and stormy night. Spring weather in the midwest USA can be tumultuous and unpredictable. My husband and I sat watching the weather reports as storms moved into our area and severe cells began showing rotation with potential for tornadoes. As many midwesterners would understand, we made sure we had our shoes on in case we needed to make a run for the tornado shelter. My 10pm bedtime came and went and I was still awake. Then my phone rang. It was our youngest daughter. Her voice was a little hard to hear as she said “I was on my way home on the highway and got hit.” It was her birthday and she’d driven to the city to meet friends for the evening and to celebrate turning 24. She sounded shaken and uncertain with traffic noise in the background and rain pouring down.
As a mom, my mind raced through all the things, “where is she?”, “is she okay?” “what do we need to do?” She said she was alright but needed a ride home because her car wasn’t driveable. That brought more concern, how ‘not driveable’ was it? We sprang up from our seats, concern over the weather now a distant thought. We grabbed our wallets and headed to the car- thinking enough to grab a raincoat and a coat for our daughter as well. We prayed as we got onto the road that the Lord would keep her safe, protect her from harm, give us clear travel and hold off the weather. “Lord, protect her life.”
She was nearly 40 miles away, in a limited access construction zone that was only accessible by exiting the highway and getting into the westbound lanes and waiting in the miles-long backup caused by the accident. We were told to pull up to the accident site, on the highway, in the midst of the chaos. As we crawled through the traffic, our patience was tested. All I wanted to do was see my girl, affirm to my own eyes that she was okay. After what seemed like forever, we finally saw the emergency lights and made our way up to the accident. As soon as we stopped I jumped out and saw her walking toward me, safe and well. Praise God! I looked around and saw a semi truck, a flatbed tow truck and then, I saw the car…or what was left of it.
It was in that moment that God showed me the power of prayer and that our prayers are never wasted, never unheard, never pointless. My daughter was whole and unharmed save some bruises and sore muscles. The Lord guarded her life in so many ways.
Sometimes we may wonder what effect our prayers actually have- does God even hear us? Does He really respond? Then God gives us a glimpse of His working. He does hear and He sees our love for our children and He loves them too. He is always watching over them.
The officer in charge smiled kindly and told us there was nothing more we needed to do and the car would be towed to a local wrecking yard. We got back into our car, made our way back into the flow of traffic and began the trip home.
The story unfolded as we drove home, she was the second car in a 4 vehicle chain reaction crash, the first and last vehicles being semi trucks. She had plenty of room as the truck in front of her braked fast and hard, and the tow truck behind her did as well, but the semi truck at the rear of the line couldn’t stop and plowed into the tow truck who then hit our daughter’s car and pushed her into the front semi. As we listened we understood even more how God protected her life.
The days that followed brought more details and then a visit to the wrecking yard to gather her belongings. When we asked how the car looked in the daylight all she responded was, “Bad, bad, bad.” We recognized the goodness of God, yet again. The car was so beyond repair, but it did what it was designed to do- it saved her life in a crash. She is a living, walking testimony of the goodness and protection of the Lord (and the wise design of Toyota- thank you!)
It’s amazing, (but not surprising) to see how God aligns His messages and His word to everyday life. I’ve been studying 1 Samuel and this week’s lesson had me read 1 Samuel 25 and one verse jumped out at me because it was such a beautiful picture of God’s protection. I Samuel 25:29, “If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.”
The backstory to that verse is that David was being pursued by Saul, the King of Israel. Saul wanted to kill David. All of Saul’s men, his loyal followers, were part of the pursuit. David was on the run, cut off from connection with his family, from fellowship, sacrifice and offering at the tabernacle. He was exiled and hunted. His life was in danger on every side.
The enemy had an agenda…you see if David was destroyed, the line of David would be erased and the Messiah would be thwarted (or so Satan thought). There was much at stake that even David didn’t recognize, but his heart was tender to God. David had to surrender himself to God’s plan and trust His protection. He was in the storm, on the run, but he trusted that God had a plan. He was God’s anointed.
In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail reminded David of the Source of his protection. She said, “If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling.” 1 Samuel 25:29
That line resonated with me, “The life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the LORD your God.” There is so much that pursues our sons and daughters. The enemy wants to incapacitate them, he wants to eliminate their influence, diminish or remove their testimony, and snuff out their potential. He wants to keep them from the mission God has established and he wants to poison their fruit.
David could have been distracted by the others around him, by the difficult circumstances, by pride, by hardship, but he kept His focus on God and God sent others to remind him of his purpose and to protect his integrity.
So often situations in life mirror our spiritual walk. As our daughter drove on the highway, she could have been distracted by the other drivers going too fast in that construction zone. She could have been consumed by her thoughts, worries, or even fiddling with the ‘entertainment’ in the car. But instead she stayed focused on what was ahead of her. She was mindful of the storm outside. She stayed in her lane, not wandering back and forth. She remained steady to what she knew would keep her safe if the unthinkable began to unfold. Are our sons and daughters mindful of the storm? Are they cautious of those around them who might cause them to ‘crash’? Are they taking care to ensure they are following the Lord and not wandering or veering off the narrow road?
We can raise our sons and daughters with caution and care. We can do our best to protect them from negative influences. We can do all the things to ensure their life is protected (we can put them in the safest car.) But there is nothing more powerful we can do than to ask the Lord to surround them and hold them close. When we ask God to bind them in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God, the omnipotent One whose ways and will cannot be thwarted, we are protecting them in the strongest way. When God does that, they are held securely by Him, held closely to Himself, for safe-keeping. Nothing can touch them out of His will. I love that symbolism. Ponder that for a moment.
Our daughter was bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God. That is what preserved her life. God has a purpose for her. He chose, on her 24th birthday, to give her life again. He has a plan. All of our efforts mean nothing if He is not in it. Had the semi truck been going faster, had the tow truck been even closer, had the first semi not begun moving before the initial crash, we could be grieving a much different outcome. But our sweet girl was bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord our God.
I ask for nothing better for my sons and daughters- Lord bind them close to You! Today, you should pray the same. Trust God for the care of your children. Trust that He has a plan that outsmarts the enemy, outmaneuvers the obstacles of this world, and surrounds them with spiritual and physical protection that is far beyond what we could generate or orchestrate. God is mighty. His protection is invincible. He has a plan and we need to trust Him.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your powerful hand of protection over my children. Your mercy is more than we deserve and you give it to us daily, new every morning. I pray that You would remind me daily of Your guiding hand and open my eyes to see Your kindness, Your goodness, Your powerful protection each and every day. I pray, too, that (name) would recognize Your hand in their life. Help them to see that not a moment, not a breath is guaranteed and each is a gift from You in line with Your plan for their life. I know You have a plan, Lord. I trust that You will protect and preserve (name) so they will be able to fulfill what You have for them to do. Help them to be surrendered to You and obedient to Your will. Keep them walking faithfully with you, not straying to the left or the right. Protect them from others who would influence the in the wrong ways. Remove distractions that would take their focus off of You. Lord, there is nothing better I can do to keep them from harm than to give them to You and trust Your shield about them. Help us, as parents, to give our sons and daughters to You. Take away our fear. Free us from worry that consumes our thoughts and keeps us from fully trusting You. Remind us of Your omnipotent power. You are the Lord of the storm-both physical and spiritual. Be our shelter and our safe place. Guard and guide us. Keep us in the center of Your will and under the shadow of Your wings. Bind (name) in the bundle of the living in Your care, oh LORD my God. Show Yourself powerful to protect and preserve (name) today and in the days ahead, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
How Can A Young Man Keep His Way Pure?
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9
Remember when our kids would build a fort out of pillows and cushions? They would surround themselves with them to protect themselves from any ‘enemy’ whether it be a sibling or pet who was the perceived ‘intruder’. It was creative and fun. But there is a great spiritual significance to that fort building.
Psalm 119:9 says “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living (or keeping) according to Your word.”
The word “pure” is the Hebrew word “zaka” which means translucent or morally innocent (1). Oh how we pray that for our sons and daughters! But in this world, corruption is easily attained, even if it’s not pursued. So how can they guard against it? And how can we pray?
We pray that they are living according to God's word. That word “living” is the word “samar” in Hebrew. Samar means to hedge about as with thorns, the guard, attend to, be circumspect and keep watch.
In Medieval times, the castle was always built with a keep- that portion of the castle that was the strongest and safest place. It was a fortified town and a place of refuge. Psalm 61:3 says, “For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
Our sons and daughters will only keep their way pure, not just by going about their day with God in mind, but by surrounding themselves with His word, being circumspect- looking all around them and guarding against attack by the enemy.
Just knowing God’s word isn’t enough. Being familiar with it won’t provide the protection and defense we need. No, we need to surround ourselves so that we do not fall into sin.
Today, let’s pray that they revert back to their childhood days of building a wall of protection against the enemy, not with cushions and pillows, but with the mighty Word of God.
“Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” Ps 119:165
“Heavenly Father, You are the Mighty Protector and the Great Defender. I pray that You would surround (name) today with a hedge of spiritual protection against the Enemy. Lord, let (name) be ever-mindful of You and Your Word. May it not just be something that is ‘familiar’ to them, but let Your word be light and life to them. May they look to You for their guidance and protection. May their first thought in the morning be You and their last in the evening as well. Lord, help (name) to keep their way pure- not hiding sin but translucent, allowing Your light to shine through them. Help them to be morally pure, not following after deception or evil but wholeheartedly following after You. Be their Keeper, Lord and may their life be full of peace because they love You completely. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 1:24-25, KJV)
Pray without ceasing, friends.
1. H2135 - zāḵâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2135/niv/wlc/0-1//
2. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/niv/wlc/0-1/