“I Have Hidden Your Word in My Heart…”

Posted by Pat Stewart on May 27, 2015 in My Blog | 2 comments

How does someone get through a catastrophic situation , especially one that lasts for such a long time?  I’m thinking of Prisoners of War, Jews that survived the Holocaust, miners trapped below the earth and people with long-term debilitating illness…sometimes alone?  How do they rise above their circumstances and maintain their sanity?

I recall reading about the POWs in Vietnam…for years isolated in a pit underground with bamboo stakes woven to keep them enclosed.  How horrible that must have been for them.  From whence cometh their strength?  What keeps them sane in horrific confinement?

I recall being in South Dakota in a cave that went down, down and further down into the earth.  We had our daughters with us at ages 6 & 8, I believe. It was a wonderful, educational tour…until the lights went out.  We didn’t know that there was a strong electrical storm that came through and knocked the power out.  The guide calmy said there were candles and matches on the ledges near where we were standing.  Everyone found a candle…no one found matches.  TOTAL darkness!  Then one person said they had a cigarette lighter and soon everyone’s candle was shining brightly.  It really was beautiful.  We waited a good while for the power to come back on so that we could ride the elevator back up.  We sang, I guess as many stranded groups do, and that was enjoyable.

Soon, the guide said we needed to start back up while we still had the light of our candles.  Then, a bit of panic struck in our older daughter’s fear that someone would catch her long blond hair on fire.  She really was fearful that that could happen so I promised I would be the one right behind her and that I would blow my candle out.  Everyone made it out fine without any fires. 😉

Now that I am claustrophobic, what seems to work for me when I have to be in the MRI tube or have oral surgery for which I could not be sedated or getting through any tough or debilitating moments is to return to the Holy scriptures I have safely hidden in my mind and heart.  Hidden there safely and for all time, I am never without them.  God’s Word is a sanctuary or safe haven from all worries.  Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”   Psalm 63:8 “My soul clings to You;Your right hand upholds me.”

Now, spending some time in the MRI-like tube yesterday, I was relaxing with my eyes closed completely at peace in my sanctuary, and a funny thought I’ve never experienced in those super-tight quarters before crept in and it was all I could do to not laugh right out loud.  That thought was “how amazing it is that Christ actually can fit inside here WITH me since I take up just about every cubic inch myself!”  But, thankfully, Christ goes before me everywhere, constantly with me, loving me, assuring me, strengthening me and giving me peace.  Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Hallelujah!!