Monday 27July09 Psalm 91: 1 - 16 NKJV
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty v1
It was sometime in early 1981, in my fourth semester in University. I was admitted to University Hospital in Petaling Jaya for severe abdominal pain. An operation was performed and the surgeons discovered that I had suffered from a perforated appendix. After the appendectomy, I was put on intravenous penicillin, among other medications, and was confined to rest in bed for about five days. A drain tube was attached to my abdominal cavity, the peritonium, and led to a pump in a large glass jar on the floor, draining out what appeared to be pus that had accumulated from the infected appendix.
The post-operative pain was very bad and I had little sleep on the first couple of nights during recuperation. Many church members and varsity CF members visited me to cheer me up. Some of them brought cards, others gave me books, while others brought gifts. An old missionary lady from Canada serving with the OMF, Miss Ferne Blair, brought me a jar of vaseline for my cracked lips and prayed for me. I enjoyed the atttention very much, and was beginning to feel somewhat important!
Then one afternoon, a brother named Eddie came to visit me. He was alone. And he came in empty handed. After having got used to receiving gifts and cards from virtually every brother and sister, I was about to feel a little "disappointed" with Eddie, when he greeted me,
"Brother Peng You, I have not brought you any thing today, but I have brought you something more valuable than gifts. I'd like to share with you Psalm 91."
And he proceeded to read Psalm 91 to me. I was very moved and encouraged, particularly by the first two verses and this special gift from brother Eddie has stayed with me all these years.
This morning I am reminded of Eddie's special gift: to dwell in the shelter of the Most High and to abide under His shadow. Then I can say with the Psalmist,
"He is my refuge, and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust" v2
Dear brothers and sisters, let us live under the shadow of God Almighty.
