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The Presence of the Lord
Thursday, April 18, 2024
The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength. 2 Tim. 4:17, NIV.
My husband and I heard our oldest son, Chuck, scream and then shoot himself to death. It was 7:10 p.m. on a dark night, physically and spiritually, in December. But I want to share with you something that even to this day I believe is remarkable: the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength! We talk of miracles and of throwing out our fleeces, and we moan that we no longer live in the age of miracles. I don't believe that. Miracles happen all the time, and I consider what happened that lightless and desperate night one of the greatest sensations of my life, even as we stood there appalled and disbelieving that such a thing could happen.
I actually felt a Presence beside me as the various thoughts raced through my horrified mind. I can't explain it, but I know I felt it. As the sad months went by and we tried to gather the fragments of mind and spirit, I would think about that Presence and give thanks that He was—and still is—there. Otherwise, I don't know how I could have kept going that night. Psalm 110:5 declares: "God stands beside you to protect you" (TLB). I thought of this verse, too, that night, when I remembered the article I had recently read about the young man who killed his mother and father before he killed himself. God protected us that night—another miracle.
One of the greatest statements of faith appears in Daniel 3:17, 18: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it. . . . But even if he does not . . ." (NIV). But if He does not . . . ! I recall begging God to not let this horror happen. But it did happen. Sometimes what we pray for doesn't happen, but God compensates, of that I am sure. Several months after Chuck's death I wrote a booklet, literally on my knees, that was eventually published and went into a worldwide ministry. Chuck lives in those hearts that have been comforted!
If you're going through tough times, remember, the Lord is standing by your side and will give you strength.
My husband and I heard our oldest son, Chuck, scream and then shoot himself to death. It was 7:10 p.m. on a dark night, physically and spiritually, in December. But I want to share with you something that even to this day I believe is remarkable: the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength! We talk of miracles and of throwing out our fleeces, and we moan that we no longer live in the age of miracles. I don't believe that. Miracles happen all the time, and I consider what happened that lightless and desperate night one of the greatest sensations of my life, even as we stood there appalled and disbelieving that such a thing could happen.
I actually felt a Presence beside me as the various thoughts raced through my horrified mind. I can't explain it, but I know I felt it. As the sad months went by and we tried to gather the fragments of mind and spirit, I would think about that Presence and give thanks that He was—and still is—there. Otherwise, I don't know how I could have kept going that night. Psalm 110:5 declares: "God stands beside you to protect you" (TLB). I thought of this verse, too, that night, when I remembered the article I had recently read about the young man who killed his mother and father before he killed himself. God protected us that night—another miracle.
One of the greatest statements of faith appears in Daniel 3:17, 18: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it. . . . But even if he does not . . ." (NIV). But if He does not . . . ! I recall begging God to not let this horror happen. But it did happen. Sometimes what we pray for doesn't happen, but God compensates, of that I am sure. Several months after Chuck's death I wrote a booklet, literally on my knees, that was eventually published and went into a worldwide ministry. Chuck lives in those hearts that have been comforted!
If you're going through tough times, remember, the Lord is standing by your side and will give you strength.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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