DAILY
DEVOTIONAL
You
Are Never Alone
By
Dena J. Dyer
Guest Columnist
CBN.com
-- Ephesians 4: 15 "We will in all things grow up into him who is the Head,
that is, Christ." "We'll work something out," I said as my stomach flip-flopped.
As a summer youth minister in Germany, I was barely twenty years old. Now,
as I hung up the phone and turned to face the kids in my youth group and the pastor
that had been at camp with us, my face was pale. I explained that two sets
of parents each thought the other was driving down to Switzerland to pick up the
church group--five American military kids and myself-from the week of recreation
and worship. Breathing a prayer for wisdom, I fought back the tears. We
had waited at our pick-up spot for several hours, and finally talked to one of
the youth's parents by phone. The pastor and his wife had a two-seater European
car, which meant I would have to stay with the kids-and get them all home. We
finally decided that the pastor would buy all of us train tickets to Germany,
and the parents would reimburse him later. As we walked the short distance to
the train terminal, carrying our sleeping bags and suitcases, I kept thinking
I was in a bad dream. The trip home would take all night-it was getting dark outside
already-and we'd have to change trains three times. "Lord, how can I do
this?" I prayed. "I don't speak any of the languages of the countries we're passing
through. What if we get on the wrong train? Why can't there be another way?" I
didn't want to be responsible for the five teenagers in my care-I wanted my mommy.
And she was back in Texas! After the pastor bought our tickets and bid
us farewell, we boarded our train and I tried to relax. For some reason, the first
leg of our journey began with us in the first class car. We sat in luxurious seats
at large picture windows. As the train took off, we passed over a crystal-clear
lake that reflected the setting sun. The Swiss Alps towered over the lake, and
the sight looked like a postcard I had bought earlier that week to send to my
parents. Suddenly, I felt peace. I knew I wasn't alone. Not only were my
parents and friends back home praying for me, but the Lord was with me. That
night, we made all of our train changes just fine, and I understood for the first
time what "growing up" in Christ really meant. It means trusting Him to work out
the details of my journey, knowing He holds my future in His gentle, strong, loving
hands. Though it's been years since that nerve-wracking train trip through
Europe, when I feel anxious or scared, I recall the view on the lake in Switzerland.
I know I have a traveling companion that will never leave my side. In fact, He's
taking me "First Class" -- all the way. Copyright 2002, by Dena J. Dyer.
Used by permission.
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