When last have you found yourself in a total useless situation … so useless that you are in a real pickle and you can’t do anything about it? Today Jenny and I met up with a friend for lunch at Irene Mall. We enjoyed a lovely time of fellowship and even though it was lunch time, the breakfast was delicious. After this, I wanted to visit Montagu Fruit Shop as I was looking for dried Apricots. On our way there we both decided we needed to visit the loo. I went into a cubicle and locked the door by turning the lever. When I turned it to open, the lever moved but the internal mechanism did not move all the way to open.
I repeated this a few times with no positive result. The cubicle’s walls go right to the ceiling. The door goes right to the door frame at the top. The only opening is about 10 centimeters from the floor to the bottom of the door. I tried to call Jenny, but her phone went to voicemail. What do I do? Will she panic not seeing me waiting for her? I could not hear any men coming into the toilets. Because of the doorframe I could not push or force the door outwards. Then I heard a noise … and called out, “Is anyone out there?”
Someone said, “Yes.”
Without thinking I asked, “Could you kick the door in please? I can’t get the lock open.”
The man said, “I’ll try.”
“Praise the Lord” ran through my mind. Then he started to shove the door as I stood right at the back of the cubicle. Slowly it started to open … until only one more shove was needed … and it opened. God sent a huge, strapping fellow. He shouldered the door in. He was so proud of his achievement … smiling from ear to ear. I was so happy I was set free from my ‘dungeon’. I thanked him and off he went. I then looked at the door … to say the least … a new door will be required as the woodwork around the lock was seriously broken by this strapping man shouldering the door in to set me free. The complete operation from finding I’m locked in to my ‘escape’ was less than five minutes. Was I relieved? My greatest concern was Jenny … but God certainly worked a plan for me … and do you know what? To my shame I never even prayed asking God for assistance at that moment, though it was covered by the morning prayer for safety and protection.
Maybe from a human perspective one might be in a situation where you feel totally helpless … yet as a Christian, God is always near and always provides a way, in His time, but He provides a way! I was so grateful God came to my rescue by sending the right ‘size’ man to shoulder me to freedom. This incident reminded me that God is never far off. He always knows where His children are and He always knows their situation and need. It’s so comforting and encouraging to be a child of God. Psalm 139 is a well-known and well used Psalm. Perhaps David’s teaching on conception and birth is one of the striking aspects of this Psalm.
Ps 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
This last sentence refers to Jesus but the verses apply to our conception and development in the womb and birth. But there is something else that is important and comforting.
Ps 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Some might think God is a spoil sport. His eyes are always on us, He knows our every move … actually … whatever happens to us was known to Him long before it happens because our complete life on earth is mapped out before Him even before we are born. Some might take Psalm 139:5 …
Ps 139:5a You hem me in—behind and before …
… as God giving us no freedom … it’s almost like me being locked up in that toilet … boxed in … but such people fail to read the rest of the verse:
Ps 139:5b … you have laid your hand upon me.
That is protection, guidance, help and provision!
This Psalm demonstrates exactly what happened to me today. How far is God from me His child? As far as my heart! He lives within me by His Spirit.
2 Cor 1:21 He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Cor 5:5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
God is ever present. God is all knowing and God is all powerful. Who would have thought He would send the right size man to help me get out of that locked toilet? Yet … He knows exactly how to help us in our “situation”. When the angel spoke to the virgin girl called Mary explaining what would happen to her and through her, he said:
Luk 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God.”
As He helped me to freedom today, so He can help you out of your ‘imprisonment’ today if you trust Him by seeking to live an obedient life. “For nothing is impossible with God.”
O Gracious, Loving, caring, Heavenly Father, You are awesome! You treat us and help us and visit us in such measure … far beyond our worth. Thank You so very much for your constant assistance and care. Amen.