This portion of Psalm 91 meant much to me as I faced a hurdle in life: “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12).
This psalm impacted me in a time of great need. When I opened my bible for the first time after being in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit for almost two weeks, Psalm 91 was staring me in the face. After a 12-hour surgery for removal of a brain tumor and a long stay in NICU, Psalm 91 comforted me, and was in many ways a history of how God had been with me and protected me.
I was so moved by this psalm, that I had it printed in its entirety on my thank you cards. On the front cover of the cards I had verse 11 captioned, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” I have no doubt that I have lived God’s promise.
This was when He began to whisper to me, “Go and tell others about your experience with me so that they too might have faith in my love.”
I had an experience with God that is sometimes hard to explain. I sometimes wonder if I will be viewed like those people who claim to have been picked up by aliens and taken for a ride in a ‘flying saucer.’
My life-threatening ordeal turned out to be the most wonderful experience of my life. When I share my story I like to add a certain clarification. My experience with God in all of this was not an experience that offered a guarantee that I would live and go back to a normal life with those I love.
God showed me that He loves me and all those who are dear to me. Therefore, I don’t have to worry about them or myself. In this I felt and understood my eternal connection with God so that my natural life became to me an important but very small part of it all.
I am fortunate that although I am a sinner, I was seeking God leading up to my ordeal. I am fortunate that I had sought out and had become a part of a strong Christian community. I am fortunate that the prayers of that community connected me with the Father.
I am fortunate that I was able to live God’s promise to us, “Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.”