THIS IS MY STORY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THIS IS MY STORY

As I sit here at my computer this evening, my thoughts are full of the Wonderful Presence of Jesus as we walk through dark valleys.  We go through our days, walking the road with Jesus, thinking how wonderful the sunshine of His presence is, the path seems smooth and no obstacles in our pathway.  I am sure many of you go through those times.  Those are times when He leads us in mountain valleys, sunshine on our days, streams of blessings flowing.  The air is pure and sweet, no clouds on the horizon.

Then a routine medical test is performed, one you have had in the past, so problems so you go on your way until the next time that test is ordered.  But then, after the test is completed you hear the word “cancer”, and your life comes to a standstill.  Now the storms come raging in, fear of what lies ahead in surgery and recovery.  And all of a sudden you realize you have to cling to your Lord, and oh, he does bring peace, even in the midst of the haze of medication and pain.

But in the midst of the pain and darkness He brings a song, a song of comfort, of peace.  I have had that experience recently, and in the darkness of the night, I began singing in my spirit, and tears of joy came, even as I was in that state between waking and sleeping.

 BLESSED ASSURANCE

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!  Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long; This is my story, this is my song, praising my Saviour all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending, bring from above, echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Saviour am happy and blest; watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness lost in His love.  (Fanny Crosby)

Yes, Jesus is mine, and yours whatever storm you are going through right now.  And as we are heirs of His wonderful salvation, cleansed by His blood.  Oh, praise the Lord!

And we have that taste of His glory to come whatever the outcome may be, and we can be assured that there are angels all around bringing His mercy and whispering His love.  And you can be absolutely lost in that wonderful love that brings such peace that I can’t even try to describe to you the glory surrounding me in those moments.  They are something that will remain deep in my spirit in unexplainable peace and joy.

And then there are the prayers of the saints surrounding me all around the country, in prayer chains, as my name was passed along.

I was reminded of the story of Moses in Exodus 17:9-12.  We see Moses upon the hill, with Aaron and Hur beside Him, as Joshua and the Israelites were fighting the battle in the valley below.  As long as Moses, with His rod in His hand, kept his arms up, the battle was won, but then his arms became tired, and the battle would begin to be lost.

Then Aaron on one side and Hur on the other side, sat him down on a rock, and help up his arms, and the battle was won.  This to me is a picture of our journey in the battle we become tired in the fight and don’t feel that we can go on.  But the prayers of the saints are in a sense lifting up our tired arms, and the battle begins to be won, and victory comes.  Oh, Praise His Name!  I pictured the prayers of my brothers and sisters as a warm soothing blanket being wrapped around me in arms of comfort.

And as Pastor I learned a great lesson.  I minister to so many people, and many of them are in the hospital beds of suffering and pain.  Now it was my turn to be on the other side in the bed myself.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God”  2 Corinthians 3-4.

Sometimes the Lord will allow us to be put in that place of suffering or pain and we can then say “I have been there, done that” as some would say.  Now, I can walk up to a bedside, and feel the comfort that God brings, and reach out to that one in the bed with a new compassion.  Sometimes you may question also why you must walk through these things, but just remember our “God of all comfort” who may have you then reach out to someone going through that same situation that He has brought you through.

So, as we journey up the path with our Lord, He leads us through many dark valleys and trials, but we can be assured that He is there, with His assurance that we belong to Him, and we can continue to praise Him all the day long and this becomes our song of victory and joy.  And I am reminded that someday the journey will be over, battles will be won and victory will be ours.  So, walk with Jesus this evening, cling close to His hand.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon