God Is Faithful -- A Shelter In Times Of Trouble What a heart-warming and powerful story "Stryped Wolf" is about to share with you. I hope you are blessed as you read and reflect on this. Let me encourage you to say a little prayer-right now-before you read any further and ask God to use this devo to speak to you-however He needs to. "Back in 1996, my dad nearly passed away. My mom woke me up because my dad was a blue-ash color, he had stopped breathing. My dad has polio and has been in a wheelchair since he was 10 yrs. old. And from suffering through polio his diaphragm is deformed not allowing him to take deep inhales and exhales plus he has Sleep Apnea. Before this incident occurred we didn't know he had those two problems. My dad also was suffering from Post-Polio Syndrome, this we did know. My dad is my hero, I've learned so much from him that it would take me hours just to write half of it down. So, as any son would be, I was crushed and in a state of panic after seeing my dad that color and not breathing. That past couple of years before this had happened, I was going through what I guess you could say was a 'back-sliding' stage. After a minute or two, once the Paramedics arrived they had gotten my dad breathing again. He was out a total of close to 8 - 10 minutes (my dads' heart is strong, the dude is a fighter). I spent the night at the hospital, but I had to go to work the following day. I didn't want to leave my dad, but there was nothing more I could do at the hospital for he was now in ICU, plus I was needed at work and I needed to keep my mind active. I got in the my car to go to work and the only tape that was in the my car was a Stryper homemade tape. I hadn't listened to Stryper in a long time. I put the tape in and the first song was 'Calling On You' and I started to cry and tears were in 'flood-stage'. I get to work (no radios allowed) and the job I was running had a lot of 'cycle-time' (which means, I'm basically babysitting the machine-I'm there just in case something goes wrong) -- not good because that allows your mind to race. And my mind was racing, until I saw my 'lil' Stryper Bible sitting in my toolbox. I began to read, the most I have ever read at one sitting. My eyes were burning from all the crying and reading. And all that time I was hearing the song 'Calling On You' in my mind. Every vocal part. every guitar, drum and bass line, just like if I had headphones on. I began to pray and I prayed like never before, not only for my dad, but for my mom, my brother and myself. I wrote my first poem that day, entitled, Shelter (right now, I'm teary eyed as I look at the poem that I'm about post here. It's on a plaque that we keep in the living room). I'll end by saying, my dad pulled through. His hospital stay lasted a few weeks and he is now on oxygen 24/7 and uses a BiPAP when sleeping. I don't think I could have handled this without God and my trusty ol' friend Stryper. They have never left me, even when I forgot or ignored them, they have always been with me." Stryped Wolf THE WORD: "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" (Isaiah 30:21) "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b) THE CHALLENGE: What a great story! I love the way God pulled a lot of random, seemingly unconnected things (including some great metal music) together to touch Stryped Wolf's heart---a Bible obtained at a concert… a life crisis… a homemade tape… Romans 8:28 comes to fruition once again-"God works in all things for the good of those who love him-who are called according to his purpose." What's happening in your life right now? Spend some quiet with God reflecting on your life-can you see how God is working in recent events, conversations, seemingly unconnected "coincidences"? Thank God for always being there---with you, loving you, watching over you… speaking to you by His Holy Spirit-never leaving… never forsaking-Praise His name! Metal Blessings, Pastor Brad www.guitarjams.net |
