Sometimes something happens that brings a scripture verse to my mind with such stunning clarity it rolls around my head like a marble. That is what happened to me last week when I listened to a young woman's testimony of God's deliverance.
Her story was one of spousal abuse so intense and evil it rivaled any fictitious tale of horror and suspense out today. This young mother knows how to tell a story! She had me on the edge of my seat as she detailed the harrowing events of a two and a half year period in her early twenties.
As her tormentor's cruelty continued to escalate I thought, there hasn't been a newspaper account or Lifetime movie to top this. And I couldn't help wondering, how did you escape?
My friend's terror continued to grow until she entered a phase where she was compliant and depressed. Having been thwarted by her husband at every turn, she was finally convinced there was no hope and he would do exactly what he threatened...kill her. Facing imminent death one snowy night, however, she connected with God as a person, not a concept. "If anything I've ever heard about You is true, show me!" she begged.
His answer came swiftly a few minutes later! That was when the verse flew into my mind with a resounding, "Tuh-dum!"
"It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24 (NKJV)
I suddenly had a vision of God sitting on the edge of His seat intently watching her every move. His love for her so great that He didn't want to miss the moment she might turn to Him. His gift of deliverance had been prepared long before. He was just waiting for her call.
In that moment, I was amazed all over again by the love Jesus has for us. It's so much greater than we can imagine or understand. Often we are so caught up in our trouble we don't think about why God is waiting. All the while He's waiting for that moment of connection when we call and He can act.
(I'm in the process of writing an account of my friend's testimony of God's miraculous grace. I'll post it on my story group when it's finished. Be sure to look for it. If you're not a member of the group send me your e-mail address and I'll add you to the group or you can join by clicking on: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thegracedgoup/ and follow the prompts under Invite.)
If you're looking for a copy of my book, Available Grace: True Short Stories of the Rewards of Intentional Living click on my website: http://sbpra.com/mariannecassell or http://www.amazon.com
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