Fearlessly forward – Day 21

[I conclude the series with a few readers’ testimonies:]

Reader 1, Martie: “On my way to Rustenburg to visit my parents, I prayed for a safe journey. I then put on gospel music and sang along with the CD. Shortly before Marikana, there is a section of the road with an abyss of almost 20 meters without safety poles next to the road. Before I came to that part, I saw that I was a little over the speed limit. I immediately reduced my speed while a large truck rushed past me. The truck was barely in front of me when a piece of steel of almost 2 meters came loose and spiralled straight towards my car. Everything happened extremely fast. Before I knew it, the piece of steel was underneath my car in my front tire and my steering wheel swung right with my car heading straight for the edge. I could not brake as cars came from left and right. All I could do was to yell loudly, ‘Lord, help me!’ Immediately I heard a small voice saying to me, ‘Pull the steering wheel to the left!’ I did it and my car literally came to a halt on the edge of the abyss. It was so close that I could hardly get out of the car. Looking back, I know that God was in control of my car. He protected and guided me. I praise His wonderful Name!”

Reader 2, Christa: “My youngest son’s wife is pregnant with their third child. They lost their first child at 30 weeks due to genetic disorders. Their second son was born perfectly healthy in July, 2013. With the second sonar of the current pregnancy, it showed that the unborn baby’s arms and legs might be deformed and that the baby may be born with Down syndrome. On June 12, 2015, another sonar was conducted. Amniotic fluid was drawn and several other tests were done. We started a prayer chain and trusted God for complete healing. Yesterday they got the first results back, showing the baby is normal! According to the doctor this was the most important test and he predicts that everything else will be normal. I realised once again that we worship a living, loving Father! All honour to Him!”

Reader 3, Leon: “On 9 April this year my truck broke down on the N3 near the Tugela River Bridge. Around 02:00 in the morning I decided to sleep for a few minutes as I was still waiting for the mechanic to arrive. Three armed men attacked me with guns. They shot out the truck’s windows and forced me to climb up a hill. There they commanded met to roll myself in a blanket while repeatedly pointing the firearms at my head, neck and pushing it against my throat.

“I fell on my knees with my hands above my head and through my tears begged them not to shoot me. I looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds were very low. In that fraction of a second, I wondered if the shot would be in my head or back and whether I would immediately die. I believed in God, but I was not sure that I would go to heaven if I die.

“The robbers took all my personal belongings, including my cellphone, clothing and even my large Bible my wife gave to me a month before on my 50th birthday. They were under the impression that it was a laptop. Just when I thought I was about to die, the mechanic arrived and shone a bright light against the hill. It scared off the robbers and saved my life. Today I know that God was there to protect me. He gave me a second chance to get assurance of faith. I now follow Him completely with peace in my heart. And I know if I die tonight, I will be with my Saviour.”

These readers are right. With God on our side, we can move fearlessly forward. In Psalm 23:4 we read: “Yea, though I walk in a valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” And in James 5:16 it is written: “The prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Let us turn our eyes to God in every difficult situation and remind ourselves that He is much closer to us than we think — and sometimes it takes fearful situations to once again remind us of this truth! God bless.