Never abandoned

So, there I was at Mass this morning at St. Peter’s after a quick trek across the street from Fallbrook Presbyterian where I work. It’s already Thursday morning and I had yet to write this article.

As my custom, I’m on my knees asking the Lord what he wanted me to talk about this week (reminding him how late it was getting and I was coming up with nada!) Very clearly in my mind I heard: “Tell them I will never abandon them.”

That inspiration sent my mind reeling remembering many instances the Lord had not abandoned me in my hour of need.

The most earth-shattering of these events was when I was making funeral arrangements for my husband. Destroyed in so many ways, not to mention financially after a year of battling his terminal illness, the three shots of tequila that got me through the mortuary doors did nothing to numb the shock of having to cough up $5,000 in three days!

On the way out, I looked up deeply into the skies and blasted the heavens with my fury: “This was your idea, so you’re going to have to help me come up with this!”

The second phone call I received when I got home was from Azusa Rock, who had a check for me for $10,000 for a construction job my husband had arranged – coincidence? I don’t think so.

A novel I’m writing is entitled “A Dollar and a Chicken” because that was my net worth at one time: four quarters and a frozen chicken with a 7-year-old to support!

In a desperate state I cried out to the Lord once again for help. I heard very clearly. “Clean your house today.”

“Clean my house!” I protested… then again I heard it very clearly. So I did.

At around sunset a man I had done secretarial work for in the past knocked on my door. He had a check for me to start a new ad campaign for a program he was sponsoring. I would have been mortified if had shown up with my house in disarray. Once again the Lord answered my prayers.

We don’t always understand the predicaments of life… losing a husband, a wife who walks away, a friend who bails on us, parents who leave, health problems, abuse, overwhelming financial issues.

But God is always there, lifting us up in way or another, saying: “The Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 4:31); then again in Matthew 11:28-29: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus at the beginning of his ministry quoted Isaiah the prophet and let the cat out of the bag of who he was: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

That’s who our Savior is… that’s why we must follow him through all the crap of life because he came to redeem, save, love and lift us up, never abandoning us no matter how broken we are, how lost or unlovable we feel.