"He Heard My Cry" And Still Does

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He also brought me up out of a horrible (slimy) pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord."
(Psalm 40:1-3)

I was in the same seminary my Dad had graduated from 31 years earlier.  It was December of 1969.  Life was going on with a normalcy.  Andrew had been born in November, and we were now that American family of four.  But then the day after Christmas of that year we noticed something was wrong with Stephen.  We took him to our doctor, and that Monday he was in Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.  One week later he was operated on because of a brain tumor they had found.  I was 26.  The "bottom" fell out of my life.  I experienced a "wounding," of which I still carry the "scar."  

"Life goes on," yes, but not without the memory of him, the sorrow at the loss of him.  Yes, Sarah and I still laugh; we enjoy our children and grandchildren and each other.  Sarah never talks about those days; she is more private than I.  One reason I talk about it is to pass on to others the witness to Jesus, how Jesus upheld me as I was praying for 5 hours in that phone booth at Children's Hospital, how he helped me up, sustained me during the tortuous days and months which followed, then Stephen's passing.

Depressing devotional?  Sorry.  The intent is to affirm the reality that the Good News of Jesus Christ is indeed, "the power of God...."  It takes, "the power of God," to keep me going.  It takes, "the power of God," to save me from my sin, keep me, sustain me, and some day take me into Glory.  When I read our text, that summer of '70, I thought, This is exactly what You have done for me, Lord Jesus.  What Jesus was and is doing is continually manifesting to and in me, "....the power of God...."  I continue to wait, "....for Jesus."  And everything our text says is exactly Who Jesus is to me.

Father, in Jesus' Name, this Christmas Season and every "season" is wonderful-------- because of You.  Amen.
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Dutch Parliament member sentenced because he is not politically correct.
Read about the hypocrisy of "Amnesty International."

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2