Greetings Ladies,
This morning, as I was asking God to show me what He wanted me to write, I began to think back to when my dad used to take us out on the boat. My dad was a fireman and his schedule was “24 on and 24 off”. Many of those “24 off” were spent on the water! Some of my favorite childhood memories are there. This morning I started thinking about the many times we would jump overboard and go swimming or jump over and dive up oysters. Back then, there was not a thought in my mind that said, “don’t do that, there could be something lurking underneath.” Now, every thought in my mind would say that. There’s no way I’d jump over into the gulf unless my boat was sinking! Anyway, as I was thinking back on all this, God in His amazing way, brought another memory, and thus, a message. It’s actually two-fold so listen well; He has someone in mind.
Several years ago, I was lying in bed one night praying. I don’t remember what I was specifically praying about, but all of a sudden, it was as though I was no longer in that bed; I was in a body of water. I began to go under, and little by little, I went further and further down. All the while, I was thinking it felt pretty nice. Suddenly, I came to the realization that I was drowning, and panic swept over me! Immediately, I cried out, “God save me!” and a large arm reached into the water, grabbed my arm, and pulled me out.
It was then over. I was back in my bed just as I had been before it all began, and I heard the words, “God’s arm is not too short to save”. You know that nervous feeling you get when you know you have to do something that you really don’t want to do? That’s how I felt. Not only had I immediately heard God’s word, I also immediately knew that He wanted me to share what had happened, and I knew He wanted me to do it the following Sunday.
In the church we attended at that time, every year we would present our high school graduates with a Bible. For the past few years, I had been the one to actually make the presentations, and I would share a few words with them about true future success. The following Sunday was “graduation Sunday” and I knew this is what God wanted me to share. I spoke to my pastor the next day and told him what had happened. As it turned out, he was going to be out of town the following Sunday and he asked me to not only share the vision, but to deliver an entire message. I just thought I had felt panic before! I struggled all week. I did not want to do this. I remember standing in my kitchen one day and asking God to please confirm to me that He really wanted me to share this on that particular day. Right after that I went to the mailbox. There was a pamphlet in the box that we get periodically called “Money Matters”. (Many of you are probably familiar with it.) As I was walking back inside, I turned to an article on the back page and my eyes fell upon the scripture that Larry Burkett had referenced in his article. It read:
"What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs." (Matthew 10:27)
I said, “okay God, I hear you”.
As I planned the message for that week, it was as if the words just rolled off the pen. I began to think of the graduates who would be there, and I really felt the message was just for them – particularly one of them. The following week I received a card in the mail from a relative who had been in the service that day (not a graduate). In the card she told me that she knew the message was for her and her daughter. Her daughter’s husband had recently drowned, and before he went into the water that day, he was not saved.
As God was bringing all this to my memory this morning, this is the message I feel He was giving me for you. (Remember I said it was two-fold) :
First, know that “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” (Isaiah 59:1) No matter what type of “pit”, “fiery furnace” or deep water you may be in, God can pull you out. His word says so. Second, when God so boldly instructs you to do something, you go boldly and do the work he has given you. He will be right there helping you.
I now know the message I delivered fourteen years ago was for more than one purpose. It was for the graduates - one in particular whom I still pray for almost every day; it was most certainly for my hurting relatives. It was also for me - an awesome experience and a powerful message that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. But now, right now, it is for someone who is reading this. Blessings to you today.
Love,
Tena
