Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide:
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow-
Blessings all minds with ten thousand beside"

Without pardon from our sin and guilt, there
cannot be any enduring peace. Without pardon
for sins, none of us could experience God's
personal presence to lighten our hearts and to
guide us through this fallen world. The message
of Great is Thy Faithfulness is of such depth
and promise it is difficult to describe in mere
words. To understand it, you've got to experience
it. The following witness of our own Esther
Windmiller tells it best.

In 1967 the nightmare of the Vietnam War was
raging all around us. In that year Esther's husband
Bernie Windmiller, an Army Chaplain was sent
to Vietnam assigned to the 4th Battalion,
47th Infantry, leaving Esther home with four
children ages 3 to 8.

She and the children had moved to a small
town where she knew no one. In her first
night alone, as the wind blew against the window
casting shadows from the swaying tree, and
the house creaking with strange sounds she
was overwhelmed with fear thinking, "I cannot
do this."

Next to her bed and on her knees crying, praying,
she found hope and strength from Psalm 27:14
in her opened Bible.

"Trust in the Lord, have faith, do not despair.
Trust in the Lord." (The Good
News Bible)

Rising from her knees and slipping back into
bed she found true peace and trust from claiming
God's promise in that verse and journeyed the
following days in confidence.

Daily letters from Bernie kept her informed about
him and his men, but due to interruptions in the
Postal Service from Vietnam, at times there was
no mail. On those empty days, she held onto
and remain faithful to God's word. On the radio
on July 19, 1967 Esther heard that Bernie's unit
had been wiped out by the enemy. Even on that
day she had no fear, but a deep peace.

Esther's faith and abiding trust in God's promises
supported her as she continued to care for her
children and help encourage other wives, waiting
further word. Within days, the chain of letters continued,
Esther's personal peace endured as promised.

God gives his children a great faithfulness not found
in anything or anyone we know. In addition to His
assurance of pardon for our sins, enduring peace.
His own presence, to encourage and guide us,
strength for each day and bright hope for tomorrow.
HE ADDS THOUSANDS OF BLESSINGS
BESIDES.