THE LORD IS WITH US IN OUR CIRCUMSTANCES – PERSONAL TESTIMONY
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: Die Here is met ons in ons omstandighede – Persoonlike Getuienis
Translator: Lynda Botha
I would like to share with you the following personal event and testimony:
For those who don’t already know, I am physically blind, and my guide dog's name is Pedro.
Every day, me and Pedro walked 26 blocks, which are about 10 km (5 km to, and 5 km back), for the past few years to visit my wife, Cornelia, who was in a care centre for frail elderly people, before she went to be with our Lord.
At that time, I grappled with two circumstances in my life. The circumstance which was the more frightening of the two was my wife's Dementia and her slow health decline which I experienced every day. This was a very terrifying experience in my life.
One day, on my way to visit Cornelia, I thought to myself that I know our Lord is with me during all these trials, but humanly thought; it will be rather nice just to get a hug from our Lord so that I can experience that He is with me.
Today on my way to visit Cornelia, at the 17th block, a dog came out from his yard and bit me.
– But here is the wonderful testimony of how our Lord is always truly in charge. Also, when He sometimes allow us to go through tribulations, like in my case, but then to put His hand on my shoulder saying:
"You see. I am in control of your situation. Just keep your eyes on Me at all times."
This is how the ordeal unfolded:
I was walking on 18th avenue on my way to visit Cornelia. We walked past some dogs barking at us, but I thought that they were enclosed in their yard. Suddenly Pedro turned around with a ferocious growl.
I realized then that the dogs were outside their yard and not enclosed but it seemed like they have moved further away from us, or so I thought.
I calmed Pedro down but when I turned to resume walking towards Ben Swart Street, one of the dogs stormed in to bite me in the back of my right leg.
I immediately felt the blood trickling down my leg and I actually thought that he must have punctured a vein.
I tapped on the palisades and called out to the owner, who came out and immediately chased the dogs back. Then he quickly went into the house to get first aid supplies to help me.
My leg was bleeding heavily then around 3 minutes thereafter the owner of the care centre, where Cornelia stays, stopped next to me. She knew my son and daughter and contacted them immediately.
While she was still busy, two of my friends which I contacted stopped there as well. They would regularly stop to offer me a lift opportunity whenever they see me walking to Cornelia. My doctor’s office was 3 blocks further at the Moot Hospital. The hospital does not have a casualty department and I didn’t know whether they would be able to assist me immediately. But when my two friends and I walked into the doctor’s office it was almost as if the sister was waiting just for me.
I was taken to one of the examination rooms where they treated all the bite marks and although they advise against stiches with dog bites, they had to put three stitches in one of the bite marks.
Why am I telling you this as a wonderful testimony?
Sometimes we go through difficult times and, as I mentioned before, then we only want a hug from our Lord that tells us that He is there with us all the way.
We know that there is written in the Word:
1 COR 10:13 “The temptations (tribulations) in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation (tribulations) to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted (tribulations), He will show you a way out (outcome) so that you can endure.”
You know –
From the moment when the dog bit me until I was dropped off at home by my friends, things went so smoothly. In fact, it went so smooth, that if one didn’t know any better, it would seem that the reason for this would be that it was a rehearsed performance.
Let me explain:
While I was standing there after the dog bit me, still trying to process the events which transpired, someone stopped and not just anyone – but the owner of the care centre where Cornelia live in 12th Avenue – she knew my children and contacted them.
Thereafter my friends stopped there, and they took me to the doctor.
Where, upon my arrival, they were all ready to assist me before I even had a chance to speak. My friends briefly told the sister what happened and then I was taken to get it fixed. Well this is in any case how I experienced it.
When I came out, both my friends were still waiting for me and they took me to visit my wife. They came back to fetch me an hour later to take me home, despite the fact that they have a business to run.
From the dog bite which started my ordeal – what were the chances that all the right people would arrive at the exact right time, as if agreed and practiced in advance, so that my trials do not prove to be beyond what I can stand?
It’s like as if my God stood there by me and gave me a hug and told me something like:
"Just as I am fully in control here, I am also in complete control of your other two major tribulations."
I am looking at all these things and I can only rejoice in awe within me.
Praise the name of the Lord!
How great is our God in His love and also wonderfully keeping His Word to His children, so we can see that He is truly with us always.
– Even if we sometimes must be decapitated like my hero Paul
– Even if we sometimes, like myself, have to carry a heavy burden and experience daily harrowing circumstances. Like watching my wife's health declining slowly – He wants us to understand that He is in control of our lives.
PSA 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
PSALM 94:18-19
18 “I cried out, “I am slipping! But your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me.”
19 “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.”ISA 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.,”
ROM 8:35, 38, 39
35 “Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute or in danger or threatened with death?”
38 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
39 “No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
How wonderful to remember with the above that it is written:
HEB 13: 5-6
5 “..For God has said. “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
6 “So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people (Or whatever else) do to me?”
How wonderful to conclude my letter to you with one of my favourite scriptures. When I think back in amazement how our Lord stood by me through this ordeal and how the outcome of it overflowed and strengthened me:
ROM 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”
Greetings,
Sakkie