My regular Bible reading time today brought me to Psalm 18. Most of you don't know that this was "THE" Psalm that brought me to faith. My testimony is too long for this blog, but let's see if I can condense it without leaving out the drama. I almost died once. Spoiler alert: I didn't.During the first couple of years of our marriage, Steve and I began to explore spiritual matters. We were involved in a Bible study with some new friends who were "Christians." But unexpectedly I had a near-death experience which captured our attention. I became very ill, and the physicians had no idea what was wrong with me. I had already been misdiagnosed at another hospital. As they were prepping me for exploratory surgery, we knew that we were on the precipice of something major in our lives. Would we believe the little we had learned about God? Would we pray in earnest, expecting an answer? Would God hear the pleas of two human beings who had pretty much ignored Him for 25 years?
Drama #1: The doctor afterward said "... and another 30 minutes and we would have lost you." He said that a twisted cord had burst within me, and that the internal bleeding was massive. (I could mention particular body parts here, but I'm trying to spare the squeamish.)
Drama #2: The next day my Bible fell open to Psalm 18 and I read the following:
"The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice
and my cry to him reached his ears.
...
He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
...
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me."
(Verses 4-6,16,19)
Drama #3: God did save me that day - both body and soul. I could no longer pretend that "exploring Christianity" was just an intellectual hobby. If God "delighted in me," shouldn't I find out why? Shouldn't I spend the rest of my life "delighting in Him?"
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice
and my cry to him reached his ears.
...
He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
...
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me."
(Verses 4-6,16,19)
Wow, great picture! I have found strength many times in Psalm 18. This world can be a scarey place & the passage from this earth to the new one can be a frightening thought. I found this piece interesting because as I was just driving into work this morning I was thinking that very thought. There was a heaviness in the air almost oppressive, and as I peered out my car window, I saw dark clouds thick with moisture, and on the back side of tornado threats last night here we are so tiny and vunerable sandwiched in-between a tornado and a hurricane. Then I calmed myself by the truth that God ordained our days before one of them came to be from Psalm 139 so what shall be shall be.
ReplyDeleteI find great comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Father rose up from His Throne, when He heard the cry of David and came swiftly to his rescue simply because He delighted in David. He delights in us as well, I join you Candy in taking the time to find out why He delights in me. Oh, and I'm so grateful you are still here with us!!! Debbi