Recently I had the privilege to meet and share in a young lady’s life or death experience. I listened attentively as she described the hours after her wreck. As she drove home late one evening, she missed a crucial curve; the car went down a deep embankment and was stopped only by a tree and the grace of God.

Trapped for almost 24 hours in her wrecked vehicle, she drifted in and out of consciousness. Each time she awoke, she pushed with one free foot to loosen her body from the dash of the truck but to no avail. She yelled for help each time she was conscious yet no one seemed to hear her. … No one that is, except God. Amazingly she told that during those hours, not once did she feel any pain nor did she experience any personal needs.

“I prayed to God and spoke his Word as I prayed, reminding him of his promise of protection and repeating the scripture that says God did not give me a spirit of fear,” she said. “I thanked him for his peace and placed myself completely in his hands.”  Immediately I drifted off to a peaceful sleep awakened only by the sound of voices. Someone had noticed her vehicle held precariously by a tree and called out to see if anyone was in it. Weakly, she responded and soon help was on the way.

She continued her story of broken bones, a crushed pelvis and told that the leg she had pushed to free herself with was broken in several places yet she had felt no pain of any kind until she was freed from the vehicle. She still has some pins that have to be removed from her ankle in the near future but is doing very well. She joyfully praises God and gives thanks for his Word.

I then had the opportunity to give God praise because our daughter had called requesting prayer for her when she turned up missing. I placed a prayer request on a prayer site and a vigil of prayers began. Prayers flowed from every part of the world!

If fear comes knocking on your door, just remember the answer is waiting in God’s Word.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 NIV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 NIV

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

And so it is with confidence we can take refuge in the loving care of our Heavenly Father, who indeed is an ever-present help in times of trouble. We can stand on the promises of God even if we’re sitting on the premises!

© 2006 Marie Williams