More From Belinda Jo “B. J.” Mathias

It seems ages have passed since I wrote the meditation for today.  Not long after it was written, an enemy invaded our entire world: COVID-19.  And in those weeks that turned into months and continue to this very day, we watched the news and prayed for each other.  Bit by bit and day by day, we drew closer to our families and tragically became isolated from people who meant so much to us.  We could no longer gather for worship in our churches. 

In the midst of all this, in March of 2021, my husband took a serious fall from a scaffold at a construction site, resulting in a severe head injury and many broken bones.  Our son-in-law, Sam, revived him when he was no longer breathing, and that miracle of God’s provision will never be forgotten.

Normally family and friends would have been able to surround us in the hospital, but COVID-19 had made that impossible.  Yet it was then that I realized more fully the truth of the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (NIV).  And praise God, who brought strength through the love, prayers, cards, and messages of the body of Christ near and far. 

After nine weeks in the hospital with many ups and downs, at last my husband is home.  He is improving every day...more words and memories return, along with more clarity and much more joy at every turn along the way.  We have begun in the last few months to read The Upper Room together once again.  And amazingly, every single day it seems so timely for us, for our family, for our church, and for our world.  I have truly marveled at God’s hand in the selection of the meditations that minister to each of us every day. 

I offer some final words, which I pray will touch your heart as the vision touched mine just a few days ago.  As I began to pray one day, like I always have, I imagined coming before the throne and kneeling at the feet of Father God...just me.  But this day as I began to pray, I had a vision.  I was in the midst of a mass of people...they were visible as far as I could see from side to side and behind me.  Before me was God on the throne, seeing us all through eyes of love and grace and mercy.  No one was unseen by the Father, and yet I knew in that moment God was hearing my prayer and the prayers of every one of us.  There were little children and babes in arms, as well as elderly folks leaning on canes, or seated in wheelchairs.  People of every skin color, size, shape, and age stood shoulder to shoulder.  In every language, we were praying to the Father, and he was caring about every single prayer.  From that moment to this day, I sense the presence of us all as we come to the throne of God.

Final thoughts: Romans 8:28 has become a harbinger of the outcome whenever I feel unsure of what the next moment will bring.  It says, “All things God works for the good of those who love him.”  When the apostle Paul penned these words to the suffering believers in Rome, he did not say some things would work for good; he said all things!  Dear friends, as we face the challenges that each new day brings, I pray we stand on this promise: though it is hard to see the outcome in the midst of it, all things will work together for good for us as we love God and do our utmost to keep our focus on the One who loves us best of all. 

May you be at peace in that knowledge as we share the journey of faith as one body in Christ, together as the children of God.