Thirteen Weeks ago tonite...

God, my Heavenly Father, visited me in a profound, unforgettable way.

I had come home really worn out, ate a quick bite, and went straight to bed. About 1 a.m. I got up from my bed, needing to go the bathroom, and then headed back to sleep.

But I couldn't go back to sleep. I tossed and turned. Finally, I walked into the living room, turned on some very soft music, and lay down on the sofa. I knew I would fall asleep.

But then, I distinctly remember sensing the LORD telling me to "turn the stereo off." So, I got up, walked across the living room, and turned it off! Simple enough. (I had to be at The Moody Church at 5:15 a.m. on the following morning, and I desperately needed to get back to sleep).

I lay back down on the sofa, and deep in my heart I heard my precious great-grandmother singing from Heaven, "And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own..." My "big Mama" (my name for her) died almost 40 years ago at the young age of 105. She had been a Methodist itinerant preacher for many, many years. She was born right after the Civil War, and died in 1970. I was only eight years old. This was the very first song I ever sang solo in a public setting. It is still one of my favorites.

I knew the LORD was visiting me, and ministering to me. I was trying to go to sleep, but listening closely. The LORD reminded me that He "rejoices over us with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17). It was as though Jesus wanted to sing over me. I suddenly heard this beautiful, deep baritone voice singing,

"He hideth my soul in the Cleft of the Rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land! He hideth my life in the depth of His love, and He covers me there with His hand! He covers me there with His hand."

The third time the LORD sang this, He changed the words to "I'll hide your life in the depth of MY love and I'll cover you there with MY hand. I'll cover you there with MY hand."

I was wiping tears from my face, realizing that GOD had calmed/dissolved all fear for the weeks ahead (I would have kidney donor surgery one week from this time) before I ever encountered "fear." In HIS goodness, the LORD fulfilled the Psalm that says, "this poor man cried and the LORD delivered him from all his fears."

I got up soon afterwards, got ready for my obligations at church, and then worked an eleven hour day...I never once yawned, felt tired or sluggish. God had energized me for the day(s) ahead!

GOD used the powerful message of songs that I have sung many, many times to remind me of HIS great, eternal care for me. He promised Moses that He would hide him in the "cleft of the rock" (Exodus 33), and He has fulfilled that promise in His Son, Jesus Christ...the Rock of Ages.

Eight days later, as I was talking to my good friend, Chris Fabry (www.chrisfabrylive.org) on Moody Radio, the LORD prompted me to tell of how HE had ministered to my soul. He is still ministering to people.

And as a gospel song says, "There is a ROCK between me and a hard place." That Rock is Jesus. I'm hiding in Him.