God Meets Us in the Midst of Chaos
Written By Gene Chou
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:18
“I lift my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2
Do you feel comfortable praying with your parents? I know I don’t! Other than saying grace before a family meal, I don’t recall times when my parents and I have prayed together. However, recently I was prompted to pray with them over a crisis.
It was a typical day at the office, not too crazy, but I drank a big cup of coffee to prepare for the dreaded drive to LAX awaiting me later that evening. Yes, I was to be the airport super shuttle for my parent’s trip to Japan.
Around 4:15 pm, I got off work and jumped into my car to get on the 110 freeway. I received a phone call from my mom.
“Gene, you’re coming over tonight, right?”
I responded, “Yes, at 8 pm.”
Mom then said, “Please come now!”
A little confused, since I planned to be there at 8 pm, I asked, “Why?”
“Just come over. We need you to help us cancel the flight.”
This was out of the ordinary, as my parents typically handle their own reservations and don’t need any assistance. “Dad is not feeling well. His blood pressure is at 200.”
I can hear my dad in the background saying. “I may have a heart attack if I get on a plane in this condition.” I hung up and rushed over.
I entered the house and immediately felt the tension in the room. Dad explained that the doctor gave him a new combination of medications that he believed was causing the elevated blood pressure. Perhaps the buildup of anxiety increased as the reality of being on a thirteen-hour flight drew near. It was obvious Dad was very concerned.
As the time was ticking towards their flight’s departure, the three of us talked in circles about which option was best: cancel the trip, go to urgent care but still try to make the flight, or delay the trip for a couple of days.
Feeling frazzled and uncertain, I felt the Lord prompting me to ask my mom to join me in laying hands on my dad to pray over him. My mom prayed in Taiwanese while I prayed in English, asking God to stabilize his blood pressure and help him feel better.
Given that it was after 5:30 pm and the doctor’s office was closed, the decision was made to cancel the flight, call the doctor’s office in the morning, and find a new flight that left a few days later. I stayed until 6:30 pm to help them cancel the flight and then headed home.
I got home and was looking forward to enjoying the rest of the evening without having to go to LAX. My phone rang again at 7:30 pm. Mom said, “Come over. We're going on the trip.”
Dazed and confused, “What? I thought Dad was not feeling well?”
“He’s fine now. We’re ready to go!” I hurried to finish my dinner and headed over to their house. I picked them up, got to LAX, stayed with them in the check-in line to ensure they got on the flight before heading home, and finally ending the dramatic day.
I’m still dumbfounded as to what happened that evening, but I believe the Lord came to our rescue and helped calm and stabilize my dad. It took stepping out of my comfort zone to lead us into a time of prayer where I believe God met us in a moment of anxiety and fear.
That night, the Almighty One who made Heaven and Earth also came to help us. How amazing!
It was a typical day at the office, not too crazy, but I drank a big cup of coffee to prepare for the dreaded drive to LAX awaiting me later that evening. Yes, I was to be the airport super shuttle for my parent’s trip to Japan.
Around 4:15 pm, I got off work and jumped into my car to get on the 110 freeway. I received a phone call from my mom.
“Gene, you’re coming over tonight, right?”
I responded, “Yes, at 8 pm.”
Mom then said, “Please come now!”
A little confused, since I planned to be there at 8 pm, I asked, “Why?”
“Just come over. We need you to help us cancel the flight.”
This was out of the ordinary, as my parents typically handle their own reservations and don’t need any assistance. “Dad is not feeling well. His blood pressure is at 200.”
I can hear my dad in the background saying. “I may have a heart attack if I get on a plane in this condition.” I hung up and rushed over.
I entered the house and immediately felt the tension in the room. Dad explained that the doctor gave him a new combination of medications that he believed was causing the elevated blood pressure. Perhaps the buildup of anxiety increased as the reality of being on a thirteen-hour flight drew near. It was obvious Dad was very concerned.
As the time was ticking towards their flight’s departure, the three of us talked in circles about which option was best: cancel the trip, go to urgent care but still try to make the flight, or delay the trip for a couple of days.
Feeling frazzled and uncertain, I felt the Lord prompting me to ask my mom to join me in laying hands on my dad to pray over him. My mom prayed in Taiwanese while I prayed in English, asking God to stabilize his blood pressure and help him feel better.
Given that it was after 5:30 pm and the doctor’s office was closed, the decision was made to cancel the flight, call the doctor’s office in the morning, and find a new flight that left a few days later. I stayed until 6:30 pm to help them cancel the flight and then headed home.
I got home and was looking forward to enjoying the rest of the evening without having to go to LAX. My phone rang again at 7:30 pm. Mom said, “Come over. We're going on the trip.”
Dazed and confused, “What? I thought Dad was not feeling well?”
“He’s fine now. We’re ready to go!” I hurried to finish my dinner and headed over to their house. I picked them up, got to LAX, stayed with them in the check-in line to ensure they got on the flight before heading home, and finally ending the dramatic day.
I’m still dumbfounded as to what happened that evening, but I believe the Lord came to our rescue and helped calm and stabilize my dad. It took stepping out of my comfort zone to lead us into a time of prayer where I believe God met us in a moment of anxiety and fear.
That night, the Almighty One who made Heaven and Earth also came to help us. How amazing!
Reflective Question for the Day
Whom do you look to for help when you’re confused and feeling helpless?
Gene Chou finds that walking at the beach early in the morning is the best place to connect with God. He loves to wash and wax his car on a day he has nothing to do. A Christmas tradition that he looks forward to is hanging Christmas ornaments on the tree with family. Each ornament represents one major event that happened each year since he got married. It is a wonderful reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord.