Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be
intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is
striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down;
he won’t leave you.”
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
On April 27, 2014, the Center
Hill, Arkansas, home of David and Karla Stracener was destroyed by a
killer tornado. The couple huddled in a master bedroom closet with
Karla’s elderly parents. When the storm passed, rescue workers dug the
family from beneath the rubble that had moments earlier been a home
built in 1945 by David Stracener’s grandfather. The Straceners stayed
with David’s mother in the nearby town of Searcy until recently, when
they moved into a temporary camper on the site of their former home.
If
the story ended here, we would shake our heads and say, “That’s
terrible. What an awful and devastating experience for this family.”
But 13 days after the tornado struck, something even more tragic
happened to the Straceners. Their son, Ben, had left his job in South
Carolina as a fire truck safety feature inspector to return to Arkansas
and help his parents in their recovery efforts. He and his girlfriend,
Samantha Fowler, met with a pastor to receive pre-marital counseling.
After they left this meeting, both Ben and Samantha were killed in a
motorcycle accident. The pastor said that the couple were celebrating
their future…which seemed full of promise. They were buried in the same
grave a few days later.
David and Karla Stracener are in the
process of rebuilding their home – and their lives. They note that when
you lose everything – your home, your possessions, your vehicles…and
most especially, your child – it’s hard to get going again. But they
are determined to do this. They know that God is striding ahead of them
and paving the way. Like other families who lost loved ones in this
horrific storm…and those who have had to go on after the loss of a loved
one – whether due to a dreadful accident or a lengthy illness - they
can rest in the knowledge that God will never leave them.
Many of
us face challenges and “storms”...experiences with the potential for
devastation and loss, pain and heartache, or simply a lot of blood,
sweat and tears. But we can all take courage in the confidence that we
are not tackling these things alone. God is with us…taking the lead and
providing strength, courage, wisdom and comfort. He picks up the slack
and carries the heavier load when we think we can’t take another step.
When we are spent, He allows us to rest in Him.
I pray that
you never face the difficulties that have befallen David and Karla
Stracener. We will never know why God allowed so much to happen to one
family. But we can be assured that He is with them…that He numbers
their steps and gives them all that they need to make it through this
trial and conquer all that lies before them. Whatever you encounter
today, God is right there with you. Do you feel His presence? Are you
able to let go and trust Him…to rest in His capable hands and allow Him
to do the heavy lifting? Isn’t it time you were?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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