He’s There!

Christian Devotional by Pastor Cecil Thompson

Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

A pastor stepped into the sanctuary and heard a woman wailing out tones that would almost peel the paint off the wall. She paused and looked at the pastor with a broad smile. She asked: “Pastor, do you like good music?” Without thinking he responded: “Yes, as a matter of fact I do; but you go right on singing anyway!”

I can relate to that joke since I lack musical ability, but I do love music. There is a song that is a favorite of mine: “I Heard Footsteps Standing in the Shadows and a Hand Reaching Out to Tell Me He Was There.” As I listen to this song I am aware of the reality that the Lord is always with His children.

Across the years I have experienced many stressful situations only to look back and realize that the Lord was there all the time. Not only was He there, but He had permitted me to be there in order to be His servant. In 1991, our daughter was in the critical care unit at the University of Washington. One evening our daughter’s nurse, who knew that I was a minister, asked if I could speak to the woman in the next room.

As I entered I found her sobbing uncontrollably. She had been airlifted to the hospital from Alaska and had no one near her during this critical time in her life. I was able to speak to her about the Lord and how He never leaves us alone, but is always there beside us. As I prayed with her I felt the presence of the Lord standing in the shadows.

When our granddaughter was a sophomore in college, she called one night to say she had a doctor’s appointment here in Olympia. Joyce and I jumped at the chance to meet her for lunch. I decided to go into the doctor’s office to see if she had arrived. She was there and was still waiting to see the doctor.

We sat and visited for a few minutes. Without thinking about it, I took some money out of my pocket and gave it to her. She acted like I had struck her. “Papa”, she said, “When I left Kirkland, I only had a dollar bill in my billfold. I prayed and said ‘Lord, You are going to need to take care of me.’ Now you give me this money!” Folks, once again, I heard the sound of footsteps standing in the shadows!

Years ago there was a beloved evangelist who was lovingly known as Uncle Bud Robinson. He traveled all over the country preaching with a voice that stuttered and stammered, but he powerfully proclaimed the Word of God. I recall a story that Uncle Bud told about sitting down to eat at someone’s house. It was a custom in that home to wash the dishes then put them back on the table upside down, silverware in place and then cover it with a tablecloth. When he turned his plate over, there was a $20 bill.

He was overjoyed, but it seemed as if the Lord told him to just carry it with him until he was told to deliver it. Some time later he was conducting a service in Detroit, Michigan. During the day it seemed as if the Lord told him that he would be delivering the money that evening. He watched, waited, then watched and waited some more. Finally all had gone except Uncle Bud and the pastor.

The pastor started turning off the lights and the two of them started for the door. Just then a young woman came in through the doors. She was the organist who had played for the full week of meetings. She said she had come back because she had forgotten her sweater. In his spirit, Uncle Bud knew she was the one. He said, “S-s-s-sister, I i-i-i-think you n-n-n-need something else.”

When he gave her the money she began to sob with joy and relief. She shared with the two men that she only had enough money to pay for the bus fare to get to the service that night and had planned to walk home over 5 miles away through a bad part of town. When I read that story I heard footsteps walking in the shadows.

I just want to share with all of you that my greatest desire is to be one who will carry what God gives me to carry, and deliver it to the one or ones He directs me to. I want to hear footsteps standing in the shadows and a hand reaching out to tell me He is there!

My prayer is that one of these Daily E-Votionals will contain a message you need to hear for that particular time in your life. I urge you to seek the face of God and sense Him in the shadows of your life. He cares for you, and you are never alone. He really is there, standing in the shadows of your life!

Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today. Trust Him completely and be a blessing.

— Pastor Cecil