A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S TRUSTWORTHINESS (II)
Maria Ong
God Is Faithful
In God’s providential care, He amazingly opened the door to the UK for my domestic helper, Lisa, to be a help and companion to Deena. However, in my rush and zeal to fulfill all the requirements for various details in the application, I had unwittingly made certain “over-disclosures” in a sensitive area. Shortly after the application was dispatched to Manila, I realized my folly. I received a succession of both silent and strange calls and SMSes from UK, Colombo and even Chile. I was petrified, and greatly saddened that because of my folly, I have put my daughter in harm’s way as they had all her personal details. Having not fully recovered from the negative news of the past week, I was totally unprepared for this blow.
I cried to the Lord and He heard me. Like a father who piteth His child, the Lord took pity upon me and came to my rescue. It’s this troublous and faithless child again, I initially reckoned He’d probably think. But no. He hearkened unto my cries, even my inarticulate cries. With His ever-watchful eye, He saw the deep pain and distress of my heart, a heart that was about to cave in and that threatened to stop due to the overwhelming fear. It had been a long and arduous journey fraught with many problems. My spirit was weary. I had no strength nor will to continue. I was battle-fatigued and yes, even home-weary…and I confessed my weakness to Him! God is faithful and never allows us to be tested beyond our endurance (1 Cor 10:13). His assurance came swiftly. The RPG reading for that day, 17th April was so acutely relevant. In its opening paragraph, it exhorts me to “be of good cheer”. In the following paragraph, it says “When things seem blackest and hope has almost faded, we may trust our Lord to send His angel in timely interposition.” And in its conclusion, it tells us “God’s angels promote our interest and welfare ‘…above all that we ask or think…’ (Eph 3:20) They encamp round them that fear the Lord. Dear child of the heavenly Father, when (not if) you have come through the storms of life smiling at the last, remember, it is the Angel of God who helped you through.” Yes, I remember and I must not fail to ascribe to Him all glory, praise and thanks for sending His angels to protect Deena. Indeed He is the Mighty God who works amidst my failings. Praise His Name!
Special Tokens
To unbelievers, these assurances would be dismissed as mere coincidences, but to us, believers, these are special tokens of God’s unending mercies and goodness to His frail children of dust.
Having said this, I must admit there were moments when doubts assailed me causing me to think of these assurances as being coincidental. God did not cast me aside in hot displeasure or anger. Instead I received His gentle and loving reprimand. His word came to me: “And has He said, and shall He not do it? Let God be true, and every man a liar. Every word that comes out of His mouth shall stand fast. And be fulfilled perfectly. Our God is faithful and not a promise of His will fail.” Even as Joshua has testified ‘not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake…; all are come to pass…’ (Josh 23:14). “Ours is a wonderful and faithful God: He says what He means, and means what He says. And what He says He does, perfectly” (excerpt from RPG lst May).
Throughout this whole ordeal, I found it very hard to share the full details of what I was going through with even my closest friends or loved ones. I was afraid—just too afraid to see the alarm on their faces, which even their kindest words would not hide.
Best Results Ever
On the evening of the eve of my birthday, while on a cruise, Deena called. She had just completed a comprehensive 4D anomaly scan and received the best results ever—an “all-clear”! The babies were “perfectly” formed…no Down’s and no problems related to Toxoplasmosis. Praise God! Praise God!! Ben and Dee were overjoyed! So were we! It was the best birthday gift I could ever receive, and God had so very graciously timed it perfectly. It touched me deeply that He would have wanted to put my mind at ease so that I could celebrate my birthday, the following day, with a carefree and happy heart!! Who can comprehend the exceeding goodness of God to His children? He is fully interested in us and cares about even the seemingly “frivolous” and insignificant things in of our life. Every small detail of our life is important to Him. How simply amazing!
Even our fleeting and foolish thoughts do not go unnoticed nor unattended. There were moments when my mind got the better of me. Yet the Lord graciously used the very words of my thoughts and showed me comfort from His Word. How very tender and merciful is our God even in the face of my faltering faith. “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.” (Ps 94:19).
Faith and Grace
The twins—Madeleine Faith and Isabelle Grace—were born on 22nd August at 32 weeks 4 days. They had threatened to come earlier around 25 weeks when Deena’s amniotic fluid level was elevated followed by the rapid thinning of her cervix. This would have posed certain health dangers for the new-borns. But by the mercies of God, He kept them in till a fuller maturity…and both were born healthy and normal. How very gracious our God is!!
Faith (left) and Grace together
He has also mercifully seen Deena through an emergency Caesarean section. Because it was unexpected, Deena was not yet taken off her aspirin. This could have caused hemorrhage but God ruled and over-ruled all the events of that day. Every aspect of the surgery went beautifully. There was no hemorrhage! And Deena’s recovery has also been speedy. What an awesome God we have!
Greater Blessings
I count it as one of the greater blessings of this whole experience, the opportunity God accorded me of being able to witness the living faith of my daughter and son-in-law, when tested, and under duress. Apart from the initial apprehension of her own ability to carry the twins to full gestation, Deena exhibited unwavering faith and trust in God, all the time joyous in the Lord, unafraid and unfazed by the onslaught of problems. She even laughed heartily when her obstetrician, a Singaporean, exclaimed (I believe half in jest and half in exasperation), “Deena Ong, you are so much trouble! After your case, I’m going to retire”. Thank God for His joy and peace in the midst of trials and testings. As a mother, this whole episode has given me much comfort and assurance to see their faith, and the fear of God worked out in their lives and decisions, even when the cost is high. What gladness this brings to my heart!!
“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” (Ps 145:3). Just before I left to visit the twins, God graciously gave me Psalm 18:29, 30, that I may praise Him. It aptly encapsulates my whole experience. “For by thee I have run through a troop;” unscathed by its many fiery darts; “…and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”…of seemingly insurmountable odds. Yes, by His grace, He has brought me from tears and fears to jubilation, joy and praise! Blessed is His Name! “As for God, his way is perfect:” Amen! Though the journey has been challenging; we (Deena and I) praise God for His ways! We would not have wanted it any other way! How else could we have tasted the sweetness and intimacy of His love and compassion? How else could we have been made more sensitive to our sins? “…the word of the Lord is tried:” The exceeding humility of God has allowed us to taste the veracity of His assurances so that we may also echo the words of Joshua in Josh 23:14. “…he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.” (Ps 18:30). Indeed, He is our ever-present Help, our unfailing Help who will never abandon us!
God’s Immeasurable Love
This testimony cannot adequately reflect the magnitude and tenderness of God’s immeasurable love, mercies and compassion that we have received during this eventful journey. It also falls miserably short of the glory and praise He deserves. Nonetheless, I pray that it will encourage someone who is going through some trial or testing, to not faint but to persevere in faith and trust, praying unceasingly, knowing that even when all the odds are stacked against us, we need not crumble because our God is greater than all the odds! Hallelujah!
“Blessed be the LORD, my strength, …my goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust;” (Ps 144:1, 2). “Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.” (Ps 145:2). Amen!
“We worship Thee, God of our fathers,
we bless thee –
Thru life’s storm and tempest
our Guide has Thou been;
When perils o’er take us,
escape Thou wilt make us,
And with Thy help, O Lord,
our battles we win”
[Ed: The above testimony was written in October 2012. Praise the Lord! Indeed, God is good; God is great. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (Jas 1:2-4).]
