On a Stormy Night, God’s Protection Spared Me From a Scourge

By Xiaoxing

It is written in Psalms, “He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2). When I just began to believe in God, I had a breathtaking experience, through which I truly appreciated that God is really trustful and is our refuge and moreover, I felt His care and protection for me.

One day in August 2013 was an unforgettable day for me. I was still working at 4 a.m. A sudden power outage in our factory stopped all the work. So my coworkers and I decided to go home. Although it was raining outside, I dismissed it because my home was not far. I put on a raincoat and rode my electronic vehicle in that dark night, accompanied by dim vehicle lights. In the very beginning, it was not difficult, but as the wind got more violent and the rain got heavier, they together kept beating on my face, like pins and needles. My eyes could hardly open when rainwater ran into them. But I clearly knew that water began to accumulate on the ground. In that circumstance, I felt regret getting out of the factory.

All at once, bright lightning flashed in the dark night sky. A sudden light shined on me and disappeared immediately. Then I became blind. A rumble of thunder and the excessive rainfall made me extremely nervous. Faint vehicle lights were not helpful, and my vision blurred because of the running rainwaters, and the lightning was irritating to my eyes—I already couldn’t see the road and had to ride forward by feeling. I was eager to get home as soon as possible, so I went faster. Unfortunately, I ran into a pile of washed sand, fell down the ground and my basket was broken. In the dark night, I was the only person on the road. I felt so panicked and had no idea what to do. At that time, I suddenly thought about my brothers and sisters’ experiences of being protected in disasters, bringing me faith and strength. I realized that heaven, earth and all things were created by God, and everything is in God’s hands. The wind and rain are no exception. What I should do is to entrust myself to God and allow Him to guide me. So I silently prayed to God, “Dear God, it is raining badly. I don’t know what will happen next. I am so helpless and afraid. Please protect me and enable me to arrive home safely.” I felt much more peaceful after praying and less scared. I stood up, dusted myself off the mud, held my bike up and continued walking.

Arriving under a bridge, looking at the dark overpass, I ambiguously saw the accumulation of waters. I was not sure how deep it was and decided to have a try. Suddenly, I heard the voice of the man who watched the bridge, “The wind is so strong, and the rain is so heavy. You dare to go on the road. That is so dangerous. Come to my place to shelter.” The moment I stepped inside his horse, I heard a loud boom, but I didn’t notice where it came from. Finally, the day broke and the rain stopped, I came out of the house, and was stunned by what I saw: The trees along both sides of the road fell on the ground. The damage before my eyes was so horrible. If I didn’t take refuge inside his house, I would have been lying on the road full of rainwaters, like these trees. But I was safe and sound at that moment, that was because of God’s protection.

After returning home, I saw my yard was also in a great mess. My mother felt relieved at the sight of me, saying, “I have been worried about you the whole night. I intended to call you, but it thundered and lightened time and time again, so I dared not to call you. When we wanted to go outside for you, the cracking of the trees made us afraid of stepping outside. We had no choice. So we prayed to God and put you in His hands. We asked God to lead you.” I was so emotional after hearing her words, and told her, “Mom, I was faced with a life-and-death survival situation last night. There was constant thunder, and I was really afraid of being struck down. If that happened, I would never be able to see you. All I could do was pray to God. Afterward, God arranged a man to ask me to his house. That is why I am unharmed right now. Thanks to God’s protection.” My mom said, “My kid, when disasters hit, your father and I had nothing to do even though we were so anxious. God is our only support, and is the only One who can protect people. Thank God! Let’s follow God in earnest in the future.” I nodded with gratitude.

Several days later, my mother and I went out. When we arrived at that bridge, the man who watched it saw us, and said to my mother emotionally, “Your child is so lucky. On that stormy night, immediately after I asked him to go inside my house, the trees alongside the road collapsed behind him. If it was a bit later, he would be hit by the trees.” Hearing what he said about the breathtaking event, I was again full of gratitude toward God. The man, arranged by God, invited me to his house in time, which allowed me to escape the danger. That unusual stormy night was unforgettable because of the memorable experience. From that time on, I decided to believe in God and follow Him in earnest.