21. SEEING HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE
“By faith he (Moses)
forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured,
as seeing him who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27)
Soon after I arrived in
Japan, one time when I was at a gathering of several missionaries, Missionary
Jerry (from Oklahoma) told this true story of our Lord’s Precious Protection.
(Jerry was in Japan at the time of this story, but he heard it from “back home”.)
Around 1976, one afternoon
in Oklahoma, a young Christian wife and mother was keeping a close ear to the
frequent tornado warnings coming thru her radio or TV. She was at home with her
daughter (about 5 years old), fervently praying for God to
protect them, as the warnings got stronger and more urgent.
Soon, the air became ever so calm
and still, as the clouds lowered ever so menacingly, signaling
a tornado forming. Praying desperately, so tense and filled with
fear, soon she hears the terrifying roar of a tornado bearing
down upon their house.
As she had mentally rehearsed
countless times, she grabbed her precious child, ran to the bathroom
with her. “Get in the tub! Lie down as flat and low as possible! Don’t move! Pray!”
Then, as she had preplanned, the mother ran into the innermost closet in
the house, she and little girl now in each of the safest places
inside the house (Mother praying ever so desperately)!
That fierce tornado hit
their house, tearing off the roof and taking it away. The walls remained
standing and thankfully God protected the 2 souls inside the
house from harm. Some hours later as everyone is “pulling themselves back
together” after the severe trauma of the fright, damage, and some injuries here
and there in the neighborhood, everyone is talking, of course.
“You must have been so
scared,” someone remarked to that
small girl. Anyone would certainly think so, her alone in the bathroom,
amidst the terrifying loud noises of the roof timbers creaking, cracking,
popping, and snapping as the tornado ripped them
loose from all their strong fastenings (nail, fasteners, and bolts).
Jerry said the little one
calmly replied, “No, I just reached up and took Jesus’ Hand.”
As best I recall from
hearing Jerry tell that more than 4 decades ago, I don’t think her parents and
others around her questioned the girl any further on that, nor did she have any
more to say about it. Enough said!
Like in the fiery furnace in
the book of Daniel, down thru the church age, there has been a
sprinkling of bonafied stories of our Lord making Himself visible
to the physical eyes of believers when they were in extreme danger or
trouble, to reassure them, as He did for that dear girl.
Child, listen to me. You
are just as important to Jesus as any other person in the whole world. And
don’t you ever forget that. He cares about you as much as He
does any other person. He is always close beside you. In
time of fear or danger, just pray aloud to Sweet Jesus, “Dear Jesus, please hold my hand!”
“I belong to Thee, My Lord
and Saviour Jesus! Please show Thyself unto me now to reassure me, because I am
afraid!”
“Please wrap me up in Thy
Tender Loving Care, My Lord and My All!”
“All is well with me,
because Thou art guarding over me. Thank Thee, My Precious Lord. I love Thee,
Jesus.”
“…but ye have received the
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15b)
“To redeem them that were
under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are
sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father.” (Galatians 4:5 & 6)
Christian Friend, have you ever
once cried out Abba, Father as you prayed? These 2 Scriptures declare that we are
to do so.
Child, just as
you cry out to your Daddy or Mother when in need, in danger, or such, do
exactly the same to God the Father, crying aloud “Abba Father in Heaven,
please protect me!”
“God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1)
“Abba Father in Heaven, please perfect
my faith to fully believe all the truth contained in this story.
Please clearly assure me that Thou art always ever so close
beside me, ever so willing to help, rescue and save me when sudden danger or
trouble arises. Please keep my instinct sharp and alive at all times to
instantly cry out aloud “Abba,
Father” for Thy Almighty Help when
I need it.”
THE POWER OF CRYING OUT, THE SECRET TO OVERCOMING FEAR. Bill Gothard, Institute in
Basic Life Principles, Oak Brook, Illinois
(I highly recommend
the above short book, expounding the truth of the power of crying
out aloud to God for help. It has some exciting true stories
regarding God saving Christian believers in times of danger, when they cried aloud
unto Him.)
“Our Father which art in
Heaven, please powerfully convict the many lost Japanese to whom
Missionary Richard preaches in Japan. Reveal to them their desperate
need for Christ’s Help and Salvation. Turn many to repentance,
I plead. Amen.”
Richard Yerby (Matsuida,
Japan) www.Christ-is-all.us