The Lord is my stronghold

  • Mandi Smit
  • Oct 8, 2009
    The Lord is my stronghold

     


    “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; He is their stronghold in times of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in Him.” (Psalm 37:39-40)

     Recently I received an e-mail from a friend, about a lady who had been hijacked on her way home from Ga-Rankuwa and the effect it had on her. It really touched me and I jokingly said that I hoped it was not some sort of warning to me as I was about to go and see a client in self-same Ga-Rankuwa. A week or so later the Lord then laid Psalm 37 on my heart – another powerful, uplifting message from Him, preparing me, I believe, for an event that was to impact me greatly.

     
    On the morning of Sunday 20 September this year, my son Damon (14) and I left home, collected my daughter Lea (8) and her school friend Juanel (8) from their home in Tiegerpoort, and went to church where I was teaching at Kids’ Ministry. After church I invited a friend, Anita, to come back to my place for a braai.
     
    We arrived home at around 12.40pm, where my dogs welcomed us at the gate as usual. I drove in, parked the car in the garage; Lea unlocked the door and shouted to me that the power was off. I told her not to worry and that I would check on it. I walked in, put some groceries down and then noticed that my bedroom door was closed. I was sure I had left it open when I left that morning… As I opened the door I saw that my duvet was off my bed, with the contents of my drawers lying on the floor. Trying to make sense of what I saw, I cried out, “Oh my God, I think we’ve been robbed!”
     
    All of a sudden two men with knives came out of my bathroom, and grabbed me, snatching my car keys from my hand and the sunglasses off my head. They demanded money and cellphones and pushed Anita, Juanel and me onto my bed. Two more armed men brought a screaming Lea and Damon in.
     
    The first thing that came to my mind was the testimony I had read two weeks prior, and I tried to remain calm, even though I was petrified. I trusted that if God could bring her through unharmed, He would do the same for us. I prayed and asked the Lord to hold true to His promises and to protect us with His blood.
     
    The men demanded money and phones, to which I replied that I had no money, as I was a single mom trying to raise children and I also hadn’t yet been paid that month. I asked them in the name of Jesus to take what they wanted, but not to hurt us. I told them that we were people of God, and I wouldn’t lie.
     
    They removed all my jewellery and searched our pockets for valuables, but found nothing. I told them that there was a phone in my car, and at that point, two of them left to look and, I assume, to start packing the bags of my stuff to take away. My kids were scared, but I kept reassuring them that Jesus was with us and that He would protect us.
     
    The youngest of the four men then told me to go to the other bedroom. He pushed me into the room, and told me to take off my pants... I realized that he intended to rape me. I asked him again, in the name of Jesus, not to do it but he shoved me onto the bed and started undoing his jeans. I screamed, “HELP ME JESUS!!!”
     
    Damon cried out at that point, “please don’t hurt my mom, she is all I have”. I believe that God softened the leader’s heart, because he came into the room, told the man to stop it, and told me to come out of the room! I was overwhelmed by what had just happened; I felt God’s presence and His protection, and I saw the fear in their eyes at the mention of His name. There is nothing bigger or stronger than our Lord.
     
    I believe that this robbery had been planned, and that their intention was to rape me. But the Lord had promised me in Psalm 37 that “…He delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in Him.”
     
    They then demanded that I give them the PIN numbers of my bank cards, telling me that they would only draw R1000 from each card. I gave them to the men but laughed at the fact that they were robbing the wrong people. I truly was flat broke!
     
    Anita prayed constantly throughout the entire ordeal. I have no idea how long that was – it could have been 20 minutes; it could have been an hour.
     
    They then tied us up with electrical cables and our belts. They demanded the house keys, which we couldn’t find and I started getting panicky as they were becoming more aggressive. I don’t know where they found the keys; I just prayed that they would.
     
    Eventually I heard the car start up and leave.
     
    I had already managed to free my hands, but by now my kids were terrified beyond imagination. I told them again not to worry. “God is with us, He protected us and He will lead us to safety”, I said.
     
    We climbed out through the broken window they had entered through (as they had locked us in the house) and, after walking for about 2km, eventually found people who helped us to phone the police and family. The Inspector who arrived later could not believe that no one had been harmed. Again I was reminded of the verses from Psalm 37, “For the Lord loves the just and He will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever.”
     
    The robbers got away with everything I owned of value – even the meat in my freezer.
     
    Miraculously, the next morning, police pulled a vehicle over for a random offense, discovered that it had been stolen and then arrested two of the men who were still in possession of 80% of my stolen goods. According to the police, they were on their way to sell the vehicle. GOD IS AWESOME! All glory to our Lord Jesus Christ who saves.
     
    I trust my testimony will be an encouragement to many. Truly, “The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.” Psalm 37:12-13
     
    Mandi Smit