Where's Matt?

“Do not forsake me, Father, do not forsake Your child, lest he fall by the hand of the enemy.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Have you ever felt alone and abandoned? I think most of us, if we were to be honest, would say that we have experienced those emotions at one time or another. Whether that isolation was real or imagined, imposed on us by an outside force or self-inflicted, doesn’t much matter. In such cases, perception is reality for the person going through the dark valleys of life, seemingly unaccompanied.

How’s this for an illustration…?

When our kids were growing up, we always made a point of enrolling them in Vacation Bible School. Not only did we sign Bethany, Matthew, and Christopher up for the entire week, but Deanna usually led the singing and/or the crafts and I would frequently handle the games.

In addition to transporting our kids to VBS, we always invited all their friends from the neighborhood to join us. One year, we filled a 15-passenger van with the boys and girls on our block whose parents were only too happy to see them get some Bible training… and to have a half-day off themselves.

Deanna and I both felt extremely responsible for these kids’ safety and well-being while they were in our care and so, we always made sure to count their heads as we loaded and unloaded the van. However, we just assumed that Beth, Matt, and Chris would take care of themselves. After all, as MK’s (missionary kids) they spent at least half of their waking hours at church.

One morning, shortly after we arrived at the church and had dropped off our brood of kids, we received a phone call. Apparently, in the mayhem of gathering everyone together, Deanna and I had failed to notice that Matt had gone back inside our house to change his sneakers. By the time he had made the switch, the van was long gone.

Thankfully, Matt had the good sense to walk two houses up the street to where one of the other moms lived. She called the church… and I made a beeline back home to pick Matt up, apologizing to him all the way. Actually, he didn’t seem the least bit upset, but Deanna and I were mortified!

Thankfully, the God who numbers the very hairs on our head (Luke 12:7) and has our names engraved on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16) never forgets about us or leaves us lingering and languishing behind.

“For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President