Faith and Protection
Psalms 31:23 (NIV)
Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him.
My family’s world changed on December 23, 1967. Dad and my 15-year-old brother William were out picking corn with our brand new corn picker. The soil was frozen so the rush was on to get done what could be done before it thawed. That fall had been so rainy that no one could get the crops harvested. But it was Christmas. Mom was cooking, and my sister Mary Beth and I, who nine at the time, were the food tasters. The whole family would be there for Christmas dinner.
At 11:50 a.m., I heard a loud bang. It was William flying onto the back porch, screaming that Dad had gotten caught in the corn picker. Mom dropped everything and ran out the door. Out of the window, I saw Dad walking slowly and holding his arm. Mary Beth and I grabbed our coats and ran outside. Dad yelled at us to stay home. Mom yelled directions to Mary Beth to turn off stoves and ovens. They got into the car and disappeared down the road.
The house was quiet that whole long afternoon. William just sat and sobbed. My sister and I sat in ominous silence for hours, waiting for the phone to ring. It never did. I tried talking and it became clear that silence was easier.
Finally, 5 o’clock came. We were on a farm, and the chores had to be done, no matter what. William and I headed out to the barn and Mary Beth said she was coming along. William milked the 30 cows, I would feed the bucket calves, feed the hay, spread straw, and my favorite was forking silage down out of the silo. Mary Beth climbed up the silo chute with me. I remember sobbing and counting the silage forkfuls as they went down the chute.
Mary Beth and I do not recall which one of us suggested it, but we decided we needed to pray for Dad. And we knelt down on that stinky silage and prayed for him. When we got done, one of us said that we thought everything would be alright. Then the crying stopped.
Years later we learned that Dad went into shock that first evening. The head nurse later told Dad they weren’t sure that he would make it through the first night. Dad had eight major surgeries and was laid up well into the summer.
The next morning Bob, a neighbor, came and helped us with the chores. He did that every morning and evening until well into May. He helped me feed the bucket calves, and then stay and play basketball with me once my chores were done. He always had a stick of Doublemint gum for me. Bob organized the plowing party that spring and just stood by Mom and us kids until Dad got back on his feet. Bob never went to church, but he will forever be a saint to me.
We had Christmas when Dad finally came home in January, and it is one I will never forget. I am certain that God heard our prayers that terrible day.
Let us pray:
Our dear and loving Father, when we are uncertain and afraid, we turn to you for comfort and peace. May it always be so. Amen.
This devotion was written by Neal Eash and read by Jim Stovall.
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.
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