Random Journal Day ~ Saved from the Abyss by God's Miraculous Intervention

"He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge."  Psalm 91:4

Today's Random Journal entry comes from March 18, 2001, and although it was my youngest son's 24th birthday, that is not entirely what I chose to write about on that particular day. I did begin my journal entry writing about the fact that on that day 24 years ago I had given birth to my last child, and I went on to write that as I celebrated his birth, I was also awaiting surgery "that will forevermore assure me that he is the last baby." So perhaps that underlying thought and anxiety of the impending surgery was adding to my general state of melancholy, along with other difficult circumstances that were causing great distress in my heart and soul and general emotional well-being.  I am not a person who is prone to depression, but anyone, given enough negative pressures and a feeling of being "out of control" can easily succomb to those fears and reach a point of despair that becomes a breaking point.

That is where I found myself on the morning previous to this entry...

"I was having a particularly difficult and emotional time, and I found myself lying curled up in a little ball on my cool, hard kitchen floor, staring at the walls and crying my heart out to God.  I had my eyes fixed on a beautiful colored pencil drawing that my older son had drawn for us the previous Christmas..." (during a particularly difficult time in his life).  "In that picture is an old New England farm house, a barn, snow, and mountains, with a beautiful horse-drawn sleigh driven by two happy people riding into the lane of the farm house.  They looked so cheerful and happy.  I wanted to run and catch up with them and ride with them right into that scenic homestead.  My heart was breaking for several reasons..." (which I won't go into at this time).   Suffice it to say, "our home was under a severe attack of the enemy~ Satan~ for  the previous several months." 

Meadowlark Singing (Internet Picture)

I went on to say, "Only God is going to be able to salvage this situation and turn it around for His honor and glory.  I have prayed for Him to bind Satan in the Name of Jesus, but the attacks keep coming.  Yesterday morning I was truly fearing for my own sanity.  I had reached a breaking point, where I was clearly on the edge~ready to drop into the abyss of never returning.  But as I laid there on that cold hard kitchen floor contemplating my future, I heard a sweet melodic voice of a Meadowlark from the field across the street.(song of the meadowlark link) .  It was the first that I had heard since returning here to our home (we had moved away to serve in a church ministry in another county for the previous year, and had only recently returned to the home we had left behind).  I actually had feared that they had all been driven away by the constant drive of new construction in the surrounding meadows.  But that clear melody came across to me in my benumbed state of sorrow~and I sat straight up to look out the window. 

I could not see the Meadowlark who was so sweetly calling to me, but I looked right into the face of a beautiful little old fashioned rose that had just opened its petals and turned its face to me and 'smiled'~

Old - Fashioned Rose (internet picture)

I say it was smiling at me because all the other roses had turned the other way to face the early morning sun, but this one rose looked straight at me~and I can only say that God brought me back from the edge of the cliff in those two loving acts of nature~the call of the Meadowlark, and the smiling rosebud.  I was able to get up from the place where I had lain sobbing for nearly an hour, and go about my daily routine with renewed hope and encouragement.  Even though my circumstances have not changed~my heart has~I am better able to face the enemy and call on God to bind him~and go on about my life.  I am struggling~but learning to 'let go and let God' be in complete control.  I do not have to fear what man can do to me (or to others I care about) because

'God is my refuge and strength...a very present help in trouble...' (Psalm 46:1)  

'For He will give His angels charge over you (me),

to keep you (me) in all your ways...' (Psalm 91:11)...

and they will protect me and carry me 'lest I (you) dash my foot against a stone.' (Psalm 91:12) 

God is my strong tower, my hiding place...

He has 'covered me with His feathers...

and under His wings I shall trust...' (see Psalm 91:4)  

God is with me wherever I go~I will not fear.

Hallelujah! 

Thank you, Jesus.

`Amen."

Old fashioned rose bush-internet picture

I am thankful to say that God did intervene on my behalf during that critical time...I love how He has so often chosen to use things from His own creation to encourage me and even rescue me during times of deep sorrow and anxiety in my life.  He knows exactly what will reach me and how to comfort my heart when nothing else could do...

Dear friend, if you are struggling to keep your head and heart above the abyss of the attacks of this life, tune in to God's calling from the songs of His heart to you...found in His Word, the Psalms, and in the voice of His songbirds.  Look for His face in the beauty of the flowers and faces of His children surrounding you.  He is not far away...He is always reaching out to you, ready to rescue and save.  Don't give up hope...when you think you have reached the end...His "wings" will open up and carry you and hide you safely away from the enemy.  "His truth shall be your shield and buckler..."  (Psalm 91:4) 

God is the truth you can rely upon when all else has failed.

Postscript added 7-21-12:  I just remembered another verse that goes along with this message so well...I quoted it below in one of my comments, but thought I should add it here as well...

"The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

Aah, Lord God...How beautiful is Your Song that You sing.

Thank you.

Amen.

Be sure to skip over to the Link up for Random Journal Day #17 and see what some of my other blogging friends are sharing from their personal journals today!