God’s Word has always been a comfort to me. I go to the Scriptures when I am in need of encouragement, counsel and wisdom. I seek God’s direction in His Word. But sometimes I find myself in a place where even the energy to decode the words is beyond me. Have you ever been there? When you can’t even seem to understand what you just read with your own eyes?
As I write this, I have just experienced that again. Yet another family crisis has taken us from our comfortable routine. I find myself in the middle of a set of circumstances that swept us off our feet and hundreds of miles from home in bad weather. When we will go home is uncertain. What we will face as this day begins is uncertain. We don’t know how to prepare for the unknown.
Of course, the unknown to us is never unknown to God.
When we got the news that would take us on this latest unexpected journey we made the decision to travel at night. We drove twelve hours in the middle of the night and went immediately to the hospital. After several hours there, we finally went to our son’s home to eat a meal and rest. By this time I had gone about thirty hours with no sleep. I knew I was struggling to even think clearly. At this point God knew exactly what I needed.
As I rested my head, eyes closed, for a few minutes I heard a small quiet voice say, “Grandma, do you want me to read to you?” I really didn’t have the energy to listen to a story. While I was trying to find a nice way to tell this precious granddaughter that I really wasn’t able to listen right now, I heard her ruffling pages. Then she said, “Which Bible verse would you like me to read?” She wanted to read to me from her Bible? Well, yes, maybe I could listen to that. I knew just what to tell her. Psalm 34. A place I have gone frequently over the years.
She flipped the pages and soon, in her sweet six year old voice, she began to read. The words soaked into my soul. I never opened my eyes, never moved. I just stayed there, quietly allowing God to use this precious little girl to sooth my tired spirit. Her gift to me was such a simple act of love. She knew I was tired. She just wanted to help. What an amazing gift. I need to remember to allow God to use me in other’s lives in such simple ways as well. It doesn’t always have to be a big deal to be a blessing to someone else.
Some of the highlights of what I heard?
Psalm 34: 4-9 I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, And rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the Lord, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want.
Psalm 34: 17-19 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Just what I needed. The reminder that He is here no matter what the circumstances. As I listened I felt the tears begin to roll down my cheeks. Tears of exhaustion turned to tears of joy. God was speaking to me through the voice of a little girl who brought me the simple joy found in His word.