Isaiah 41:10
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Today, cable news networks are frenetically covering the crash of Asiana Flight 214 in San Francisco, California. The Boeing 777 was arriving from Seoul, South Korea, when something went horribly wrong as the plane approached a San Francisco International Airport runway. Eyewitnesses report hearing a loud pop or boom… then seeing a cloud of dirt and smoke. In the days to come, we will surely learn more about what happened, the injured and those who perished. The investigators are still en route to the scene at this point... there are still many questions to be answered.
As I read today’s scripture passage and watched the video footage of passengers scrambling to get away from the plane wreckage, I thought about what must have gone through their minds as these events unfolded. Were they panicked and frightened? Were they discouraged and convinced that they were about to die? Did they call on God to protect them and hold them in His hand? Did they even have time to be afraid… or did it all happen “in the blink of an eye”?
As many of these passengers departed the plane, they surely must have been fearful. Most likely many of them were calling out to God to help them get out of harm’s way. I wonder how many people involved in this tragedy… passengers, crew members, rescue personnel, and those who witnessed this on the ground… felt a sense of calm and peace – an inexplicable strength and quiet in the midst of such chaos.
I thought about times in my life when I have encountered a shock or some sort of panic… and how I reacted. While I have never experienced anything even remotely as devastating or frightening as a plane crash, I have faced situations that left me panicked, frightened, and an emotional wreck. At times, I have handled these like many of us… with sheer terror and hysterics. And there have been times when I have operated with a surprising, mysterious calm and resolve.
What made the difference? The only answer I can offer is…God. “Was God only with you in some of these situations?” you might ask. God has always been with me. The difference is whether I recognize His presence. My reactions have everything to do with my relationship with Him at the time. When I am closely attuned to God and maintain an intimate, continual dialog with Him, I am far more aware of His presence and power. I don’t allow my fears to overcome me as easily… I don’t succumb as deeply to panic and despair.
Yes, there have been times when something stunned or frightened me so greatly that I could hardly get my breath… when I felt my knees almost buckle beneath me. But God lifted me – He carried me and sustained me. I’m ashamed to admit that there have been times when I let the devil have his fun…when I let him convince me that things were hopeless… and that I was helpless. As a result, I did not handle these situations very well... and I know my absence of faith and confidence grieved God. But I am determined that this will not happen again.
I know that we cannot prepare for every possible challenge and tragedy that might befall us. But I know that God will always be near… that He will give us courage and strength – and hold us tightly in His hand. The key to how we react will lie in whether or not we recognize His presence and power. I pray that those involved in today’s tragedy felt God near them… that they were calmed by the assurance that He was helping them, offering them strength and courage, and holding them up victoriously – even in death.
I pray that you feel the presence of God in your own life, as well… that you are attuned to His word and will… and that you know that He is always with you. When troubles come, may you operate in His peace and calm… with confidence that He is in control and will never give you more than the two of you can handle together!
©2013 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment