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It was a few weeks before Christmas and I wanted to buy some toys for my children I couldn’t find on the Air Force Base where we lived or in the small town of Aguadilla in Puerto Rico. A friend of mine wanted to visit the stores in Arecibo, Ponce, and Mayaguez too so we pilled our six children in my little English Ford station wagon and headed for our first stop, Arecibo, which was only a short distance to the east of Aguadilla. From there we drove the coast road around the eastern end of the island to Ponce on the opposite side of the island from where the base was located.
From Ponce the road went around the west end of the island to Mayaguez. Mayaguez and Aguadilla aren’t very far apart as the crow flies, but the coast road followed the westward curve of the island, making it a longer drive than the direct way over the mountain.
We did our shopping and by the time we left Mayaguez the sun was so low we decided to take the one lane dirt road over the mountain to get home.
We were all singing and making a regular joyful noise unto the Lord when it started to rain. It was pouring down in seconds and we were driving up a muddy slope – or trying to. I shifted into low but the tires just spun in the mud. The road was too narrow to turn around even if I could have and I my stomach was in knots. My friend was panicking and the back of the wagon was electric with a mingled fear and excitement.
I had been witnessing to my friend all day. Wasn’t this a good time to demonstrate my own faith? I called to the back of the wagon, “Hey, kids, remember – ‘What time I am afraid, I will thrust in Thee.’ “
They remembered the verse I had been teaching them, and all six children became quiet as I started to pray.
Suddenly the car began to move and I opened my eyes and looked out the window. There were seven little Puerto Rican men in white suits surrounding the station wagon. They had picked it up and were turning it around. When the front of the car faced down the mountain, the men disappeared and I drove safely down the mountain and took the paved road, around the island, home.
The was no reason to hope for help on that muddy, deserted mountain road that day, but help came because God was there with us. God inhabits the praises of his people.
As winners in the human race, we offer our sacrifices of praise, worshiping God in spirit and in truth. It is our joy and privilege to give him tribute and devotion because our deep love for our Lord and Savior demands expression in the performance of praise and worship. The deeper our love becomes, the greater our need is to express it; and our faith grows stronger as we proclaim it.
Prayer: We praise you O God, for you are our Rock and the joy of our lives.