Ps 23:4 God Bubbles "Through the Valleys of Death"
His presence is always enough.
It was December 18, 2001. A week before Christmas, we were getting ready for a houseful of company. Relatives coming to stay for the Holidays. Traditions galore filling our days and the week ahead. We had decided our house needed a facelift & were busily finishing a kitchen remodel. In my painting clothes on hands and knees, I was giving the trim a fresh coat. A stone mason was installing new tile in the kitchen. Little did we know our plans were about to be interrupted.
Up from the basement office came my husband, phone on his ear rushing onto the deck. Returning inside, he told the family we would need to exit. Our fireplace chase was on fire! More of a hassle than an imminent threat, we called the fire department, began gathering the children and headed outside.We grabbed the hose to put the fire out. Not wanting to seem overly dramatic I didn’t take anything with me as we casually headed towards the lawn. Irritated that this was keeping us from our “to-do” list, we imagined what a hassle having a tarp up in our living room would be as we tried to celebrate Christmas.
The fire department arrived and began setting up equipment not seeming in too big of a hurry. No one thought this would turn out like it did. Everyone’s impression was that the fire would stay contained in the fireplace chase which the firemen would hose down & pull off the house fairly easily.
Things can change drastically in a split second.
Without warning the fire burned through to the attic where it imploded with the infusion of fresh oxygen, traveling to the peak along the hip roof rafters! The mood went from casual & neighborly “Helping us put our little fire out,” to “Houston We Have a Problem!!”
Firefighters began running in every direction. Was that a chainsaw I was hearing???!! A few minutes later, I spotted them cutting a hole through the front roof of the house into the attic and fire shooting out. Our house was going up in flames!!
I stood there with my I, 5, 9, 11, 13 & 15 year olds, our mouths gaping open in disbelief.
Here’s the crazy part. In a situation that should have been terrifying and completely unsettling, I remember feeling peculiarly peaceful.
Standing there watching the house burn, I wasn’t crying in hysteria. I wasn’t running about franticly. I knew things would be ok.
God had surrounded us almost as if we were in a “grace bubble” to walk through the dark valley before us. He was with us and filling us with strength. That was all we needed.
I have watched others who know God face horrendous hardships. Standing back wondering how they could survive, I have seen the same thing again; a “grace bubble” encircling them; His presence and strength for their situation to walk them through.
I remember missionary friends who tragically lost their daughter from meningitis coming home on furlough. It’s unfathomable how you can survive losing a child so suddenly. Although they missed her excruciatingly, they shared about the powerful grace of God sustaining them.
It seems a grace like this is a facade, but from my own experience, I KNOW it is true!
Just as He promises, He will always be with us. Even in “death valleys” we will have everything we need.
Our world drastically changed in a split second. One minute we were cruising along just fine. Life was comfortable. The economy had never been stronger. Then the next.. Boom! It all came crashing down; putting not just our country but the whole world in jeopardy.
We cannot foresee what hardships we will face but we do know this…
“Even when we go through our darkest valleys, we can fear no evil, for He will be with us”
We can remind ourselves of His faithfulness
We can saturate ourselves with his unfailing promises.
* Have there been times when you have walked through dark valleys & experienced a “grace bubble” encircling you?
* Do you sense one now? Even amidst the terror in the world, do you feel “peculiarly peaceful”; knowing His presence & strong arms are surrounding you?
Thank you Good Shepherd for your incomprehensible grace