Those first years I got to be at the amazingly beautiful mountain setting of Camp Elim I had the joy to be both a counselor with a cabin full of rowdy girls at our camps and on staff when we did rental camps. The young director would gather the staff together for devotions beginning with worship songs. It was an introduction to worship music for me since my church held to the wonderful hymns in the hymnals.
Dan would have us sing songs new to that day such as, “Make me a servant,” and “YOU are my hiding place.” To this day they and so many like them bring me into GOD’s holy presence.
Has GOD ever hidden you? Hidden you in terrible times and from people speaking words without knowledge? HE has for me. Let me tell you of just one of those times.
HE (GOD) found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness, HE encircled him and instructed him, HE kept (protected) him as the apple of HIS eye (like an eyelid protects the eye by closing). As an eagle stirs up its nest (and forces its young to leave and learn to fly), it hovers over its young, spreading its wings (to catch them if they falter), taking them up, carrying them on its wings (Deuteronomy 32:10-11).
When I learned my Daddy died, I flew out to the desert area of Lake Havasu City where he’d lived. Then hesitantly, after much whispering they told me. Dad had grown weary and had given up. He got to the point where he felt he could take the intense pain no longer. It had been several years since his central nervous system broke down, and any movement or even a loving touch sent searing pain through him. HE was in nonstop agony. Then one day, after placing signs to warn his beloved wife, Bethy, to stop at that spot and call the authorities, Dad hung himself.
After I was told, I couldn’t just sit there and listen as they hashed the events over and over. I had to get away from the talk, from the people, from the assumptions. I had to go talk with my LORD. Leaving the house, I began walking up and down the hilly streets. As I walked, I talked to GOD through my tears. From within came a song I’d recently heard so began singing it. The words changed here and there as I sang the song, as the prayer it was. GOD heard and seemed to lift me up, pull me close, and hold me tight.
“Oh, SON of GOD enfold me, with the SPIRIT of YOUR love, come and fill my heart and satisfy my soul. Take all that holds me and YOUR SPIRIT like a dove, descend upon my heart and make me whole. JESUS, OH JESUS come and hold YOUR lamb, JESUS, OH JESUS come and hold YOUR little lamb.”
As in Deuteronomy 32:10-11 GOD found me in the desert, HE encircled me with HIS love, flooded me with HIS peace, and protected me from the words without knowledge, by drawing me into HIS arms, and carrying me on HIS wings.
There are times when someone is hurting and there are no words to say. I will hold them and sing softly into their ear, “O SON of GOD enfold her with the SPIRIT of YOUR love come and fill her heart and satisfy her soul ….”
For GOD says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be GOD, even the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the FATHER of mercies, and the GOD of all comfort;WHO comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of GOD.
So, GOD is to this day using even that tragedy of decades ago to help others just as HE says HE will (Romans 8:28).
Times come that are completely out of our control. Times of pain and helplessness when there is nothing we can do. It can be paralyzing, and we become confused not know how to cope or what to do. At those times we must cry out to GOD in our need, and HE comes to hold you and strengthen you. In HIS time GOD will instruct us in what to do. The LORD did it for me and HE will do it for you.
Looking unto JESUS, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
Hugs
Sharon
wakemyear 