My family and I had been stuck in two different countries, 6000 miles apart, away from our home and each other. Yet were brought together, under His shadow against mighty odds and impossibilities. While thousands, nay millions, fell at the sides, we were kept safe in a safe country, in the safe home of a Pastor and his family. COVID was all around us, yet did not come near us. Our daughter in India too remained safe as we tried to come back and she tried to get back to us.
Over those three years, as our savings
disappeared, business dwindled and stopped, we never went hungry or in want.
Everything was provided for by our God. The destruction of those days could not
destroy us.
That is
when we realized the reality of God as He spoke to us through Psalm 91 - we
practically lived it!
“Psalm
91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling”.
We lived
the complete Psalm 91 day by day.
One
particular incident cannot be forgotten. Due to a sudden and definitive
requirement of 1 million in cash, in a foreign land, with no access to our
funds (the particular account did not have internet access), we panic. As we
lay in agony and fear, the bell chimed in my phone indicating a mail had come.
With great dread I opened it and lo- there was a mail from a strange id known
as the Messianic Bible group. The subject was - Fear not for the Lord is always with you. Addressed to me by name.
I do not know how it came for I was not part of any Messianic group, nor
registered for any mails. Never before had I even received a mail from these
people. As I read that mail, a great sense of calm and peace came over me. It
started with a quote
“Do not
fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen
you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand.” (Isaiah
41:10)
My heart
stopped pounding. I have never forgotten that because I believe it was God
reassuring me.
Later
that night a thought came into my mind - talk to the bank manager (he too was a
Christian). I did talk to him the next day and without the necessary documents
he transferred the money. Problem solved.
Then came
the third wave - as our business collapsed, customers threatened us, friends
became foes, legal notices were sent, business destroyed, Covid raged on and on
and we continued to overcome. For us Psalms 91:13 came alive – “Thou shalt
tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample
under feet”.
Though we
had some ground support, that too finally faded away. How long can anyone
support you without finance? Nights were spent in worry about the future: would
we see our home again? would ever again be reunited as a family? But through it
all, we learned to trust Him. Again Psalm 91 gave us the assurance of
protection and deliverance. As Covid struck the world again and again, Psalm 91
assured us
"You
shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays
waste at noonday.
A
thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it
shall not come near you".
After
three years we finally made it back home. Broken in all respects but happy.
Happy that we had found the God in all His glory. He delivered us - literally.
“Because
he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on
high, because he has known My name".
We
survived.
This does
not mean life was or is trouble free. It means we survive and live on His
grace. On His protection. We called upon Him and He answered.
"For
He gave His angels charge over us, who kept us in all our ways and did not let
us dash our foot against any stone".
We leave this
testimony not just as a personal account of survival and deliverance but as an
invitation to discover the immense power and grace available through Jesus
Christ. In the face of life's uncertainties and trials, His love remains
steadfast, and His promises offer unshakable assurance.
This journey
has taught us that while life may never be free from hardships, His grace
sustains us, His protection surrounds us, and His presence uplifts us. Through
the storms, through the losses, and through the fear, His word remained true: “Because he has set his love upon Me,
therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My
name.”
May this story inspire you to trust in His providence and find refuge in His shadow. In Him, you can tread through adversity, rise above despair, and walk with unwavering faith, knowing that His angels watch over you. Our experience is not just a tale of survival, but a celebration of a victorious life—a life anchored in the power and love of Jesus Christ.
We have made Psalm 91 our go to prayer because we have seen and experienced the reality of those verses. My family & I will never forget that we have passed through the valley of the shadow of death & who's staff guided us through.
(In the picture is Psalm 91 and is downloadable as a prayer, should you need it).
Comments
Post a Comment