911-What is your Emergency?

Ever had a day like the song the Bangles sang, “Manic Monday”?

Bangles © Manic Monday

Have to catch an early train

Got to be to work by nine

And if I had an air-o-plane

I still couldn't make it on time

'Cause it takes me so long

Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear

Blame it on the train

But the boss is already there

Ever been in a situation where you didn’t know who to call and 911 stuck in your mind? What if that day just became worse? Ever watch COPS or CSI television shows that have that frantic voice on the phone like this 911 call into the

Rowlett Police Department on June 6, 1996:

911 Operator #1 ...Rowlett 911...what is your emergency..

00:01:19 Darlie...somebody came here...they broke in...

00:03:27 911 Operator #1 ...ma'am...

00:05:11 Darlie...they just stabbed me and my children...

00:07:16 911 Operator #1 ...what...

00:08:05 Darlie...they just stabbed me and my kids...my little boys...

00:09:24 911 Operator #1 ...who...who did...

00:11:12 Darlie...my little boy is dying...

00:11:25 RADIO ...(unintelligible) clear...

00:13:07 911 Operator #1 ...hang on ...hang on... hang on

00:15:03 Darlie...hurry... (unintelligible)...

00:16:01 911 Operator #1 ...stand by for medical emergency

     This is to an extreme from a Manic Monday to a life and death situation. Prayerfully, it is with faith we have not experienced this type of setting. If you have, please accept my condolences. For those who have not experienced this type of event, I do believe each of us has experienced a 9-1-1 experience in our spiritual life.

     First, let’s set the stage. God does not make bad things happen. This is our adversary, which causes us to believe in a lie like Eve did in her state of confusion within the Garden of Eden. He encourages us to do make the right choice in our free will to obey Him. However, like a parent, He hurts when we choose the wrong choice.  Much of our situations are from our erroneous choices. An example would be: we smoked too long and we come down with lung cancer and this is an incorrect choice and the consequences of it are cancer.

The spiritual 911 can sometimes be a life event over an accident from another human being. Perhaps our child who is sick and we need assistance because the doctors cannot figure out what is wrong. Maybe, it is your spouse who has decided to leave in divorce. Either way we seek out help, like humpty dumpty, in trying put all the pieces of our hearts back together again.

     Like the disciples who were proficient fishermen, we are professionals in life. However, sometimes we fret because Jesus is sleeping in the boat (Luke 8:22-25) and the waves of life come crashing down upon us, and we grow scared and worry we will not make it through this storm. Jesus calmed those storms by commanding, “Peace be still”. David through his tragedies wrote, “Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131

     Sometimes we have to do the same thing. We have to go to the One that can calm those storms. Furthermore, we have to be still in the midst of our storm and not try to do it alone. However, because of human nature we tend to the hit panic when something hits us spiritually.

     Second, we have to have our minds programmed to the faith. Faith you might ask? Silly question I know when you are at the bottom of the barrel scrapping away trying to find a way out. Faith can do many things. It is how we approach it and why. We have to transform how we perceive and look at the situations. “I will let You transform me into a new person by changing the way I think. Then I will learn to know Your will for me, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

     How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your rivers of delight (Psalm 36:7-8).  Four times the phrase “shadow of your wings” appears in Psalms (Psalms 17:8, 36:7, 57:1, 63:7). It can be difficult to think because He is not here tangibly that He knows and understands us because of how we feel. It is even harder to believe someone who explains everything is okay, and they are here physically with us. The key is to look and to believe and this is where our faith becomes the key.

     When you are in crises, and you don’t know where to turn; there is a 911 passage you can turn to. Remember, it is our adversary who likes to trick us into the here and now panic mode and not trusting. Are you ready to call 9-1-1? If not, then put a bookmark in your bible or print it out and put it on your fridge. This passage has helped me through my situations and I want to share it with.

     Remember to look for the whisper of God: Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12) Remember, to hide under the shadow of His wings let Him do the work while you rest. Here is your 9-1-1 passage:

Psalm 91-1

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”