Strength

"Our God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble." from Psalm 46

A family with young children in our church was having a rough time recently, trying to balance having everyone at home all the time with the coronavirus, trying to get work done around the house, school work, and still maintain some sense of order and sanity.

One day, when one of the parents was at his wits end, trying to balance laundry, cleaning the house, school work, and cooking dinner, the 5 year old of the family kept saying "dad, dad, dad!" Feeling guilty for being slightly annoyed, Dad stopped what he was doing, and knelt down to be eye to eye to the child. Taking a deep breath, he asked the child what was wrong.

"Please fix my book!" The child had become fixated on a small, beaten up book he was carrying around the house.

Dad took note of the book's title, "The Strength to Love" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Convicted, the dad found some tape and fixed the book. With a smile, the child took the book in his hands and ran off to play with his sister.

It's amazing how God speaks to us at times we may least expect it.
The very next day, someone else in the Eastridge church family called this family. With love in her voice, she asked about the children and then just so happened to share a text of one of her favorite hymns from Martin Luther, MLK Jr.'s name sake: A Mighty Fortress is Our God.

She shared that beautiful verse "We shall NOT fear, for God hath willed, Christ's strength to triumph through us!"

Thanks be to God for continuing to speak to us in the power of the Holy Spirit...in the voice of a child...or a friend's call, quoting a hymn, even when we least expect it.

~from a church member