A Personal Anchor

As a dad of three young kids, to say my first trip to Colombia freaked me out is an understatement. The thought of leaving my family behind, headed to the middle of the Amazon Jungle for a week, made me quite uneasy. I wrote about my mindset prior to leaving for that trip in my book, The Anchor.

The day before my trip, I went to Walmart to pick up some suggested items: a flashlight, insect repellant, sunscreen, and snacks. After I pulled into the parking lot, I sat in my car and began to pray. I soon found myself crying as I told God that I felt alone, I was scared, and I needed him. My fear was driven by the fact that I did not believe that I would see my family again.

I prayed for each member of my family, starting with my wife, then the kids. In my mind, I handed my kids over to God. I told him, “They are yours.” I vividly remember a thought of his saying to me, “Finally! I can handle your kids much better than you.” I told God that I needed some encouragement. I literally felt like I was going insane, talking to myself, crying, desperate for hope.

I finished my prayer by praying more specifically for a person to encourage me. Then, I stepped out of my car, fully expecting to bump into someone from my Bible class. I just knew God would help me. Instead, as I was walking into Walmart, a guy walked right in front of me, cutting me off and stopping me in my tracks, and acted as if he didn’t see me. How rude. I went in the store, gathered the recommended items for my trip, and found my place in a long checkout line. I was shaken and empty.

While I was standing there, a guy standing a few people in front of me turned around and called out, “Where are you headed?” I thought he was crazy. I quietly responded that I was going on a trip, all the while thinking, Settle down, brother. Stop being so loud!

Well, the guy apparently didn’t get enough information from my response. He stepped out of line and moved back in line beside me. He said that he saw my insect repellant and was wondering where I was going. I should buy the clip-on version, he said. It worked great.

Is this really happening? I thought. Please just leave me alone.

He continued asking me about my trip, and I told him that I was going on a mission trip. He asked, “Where?” When I told him Colombia, his eyes lit up.

I, then, recognized the strange guy. He was the one who had walked in front of me when I was entering the store.

He went on to tell me that he had been going on mission trips to Venezuela, a country neighboring Colombia. He told me all of the remarkable ways he had seen God working. He was an optometrist who took glasses to the poor, literally changing people’s lives giving the gift of clear vision. As he told me the story about this one little girl who had not been able to see prior to receiving glasses, he began to tear up. Listening, I began to tear up too.

By the time we arrived at the register, we were both so shaken that I am not sure who paid for what. I heard a few more stories before we parted ways, and I told him that God had sent him to encourage me.

That exchange was one of the most amazing ways I have seen God immediately answer a prayer in my life. After that visit, I was all in. I now knew the truth of Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says that he is always with us, and I knew what Job meant in verse 42:5 when he says, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”

I thought that God had literally sent an angel to minister to me, but years later, I would bump into this same man, around the same place in that same Walmart. On that day I stopped him and asked him if he was an optometrist who took mission trips to South America. He affirmed my guess. When I told him how he had blessed me, however, he was perplexed. He doesn’t remember that conversation a bit. God works in mysterious ways.

I try not to get overly spiritual when I talk about that moment. All I can say is the events happened just as I wrote them above. And, I do cling to the promise of Him being able to care for my kids better than me. He has them.

As the story above illustrates, sometimes I do think God is speaking to me. Maybe in prayer or maybe through another person or event. However, to be completely honest though, I am never 100% certain that it is actually God speaking. I would say I am more like 50% certain. But, when I read the Bible, I am 100% certain. In fact, He has spoken the words in Scripture. And, perhaps the most comforting thing about God is that His words, His promises always come to fruition. If He speaks it, “it” happens.

For example, back in Genesis 12, God made a promise to Abram / Abraham.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3

God promises a forever blessing on Abraham’s family. Later, in 2 Kings 13, long after Abraham had passed away, his extended family, the nation of Israel, is being severely oppressed by Syria. God does not completely destroy Israel, pointing to His promise.

But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence. 2 Kings 13:23

God always protected a remnant of Abraham’s family because of His promise in Genesis 12.

The same holds true today. His promises always come to fruition. The security, the anchor of His promises are a treasure to behold.

As I mentioned, I am about 50% certain of God speaking through events or people or situations in my life, but, when I read the Bible, I am 100% certain. The words in the book are promises to me. The Bible is full of promises from God that will come to fruition, 100% certain. These promises are an anchor in the storms of life. They are practical, useful to carry us each day. For example, a simple yet profound promise that I cling to daily…..

“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

A simple, profound promise. God is with me always. And, with my wife and my kids. Knowing this truth, as David says, I will not be shaken.

I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8

The Bible is full of promises like this to you, to me, to my kids, to the world. As truth in the world becomes more and more mirky and grey each day, we have a book of promises that will come to fruition from God. Personal, practical promises to carry you through each day.

His Words are an anchor in the storm.

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