WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE, WE NEVER STAND ALONE

Here’ a heart-warming story I read that I believe you will enjoy. As a blogger, Stacey Philpot spends a reasonable amount of time online. But one day, she decided to take a few days break from Facebook. But then a friend sent her an urgent text she was sure Stacey would not want to miss. So, Stacey quickly went a page showing a teenage boy standing alone at the flagpole praying as part of “See You at the Flag Pole Day.”

This yearly occurrence encourages students everywhere to gather at their school’s flagpole to pray for their school, friends, families, churches, and communities. Usually, the event draws a crowd. But at Minneola High School, only one young man turned up. The brave boy stood all alone, praying by himself.

A passerby was so touched, they snapped a photo and posted it on Facebook, saying: “I commend the young man that stood alone at Lake Minneola High School’s ‘See You at the Flag Pole Day.’ My eyes filled up with tears. But they were happy tears, proud tears. I honestly didn’t know what it was all about until I later heard it on the radio. So please take a moment today to pray for our children, school, teachers, and administrators. Pray for protection over them, guidance, wisdom, and a wonderfully blessed year.”

Comments poured in, praising this young man for his courage and his parents for instilling such ethical values. Even folks who professed no faith commended this boy for standing up for his faith. At first, Stacey couldn’t understand why her friend insisted she break her Facebook hiatus to see this picture of a boy standing alone at the flag pole until she realized she was looking at her own son!

Stacey was flabbergasted! This was the little boy she rocked to sleep in blue airplane pajamas when he was sick; the toddler who loved Elmo and couldn’t go to sleep without holding his Veggie Tales characters in his hands; this child who had captured the attention of the community by standing alone, by doing everything she ever taught him, everything we’d ever hoped he would do. Stacey could hardly believe it was happening. She immediately texted her son, Hayden, and told him how proud she was of him.

But when Hayden got home, he revealed something even more incredible. He was just as surprised at all of the attention as his mom. He’d initially thought he’d just pray until someone else came along. But when no one else did, he asked God to use Him. Stacey had trouble dabbing away all the tears as he told her with a shaking voice that as he stood alone and prayed, the cry of his heart had been, “God, as people drive by, let them wonder, let their hearts be pierced. “And God certainly did answer that passionate prayer!

There are people out there that don’t understand why we pray. They see it as wasted effort. But Hayden proved just how powerful prayer truly is! And his proud mom says her son’s story is a big reminder for us all. “Wherever it is in your life you stand alone. . . God sees, He knows, and He can do big things.”

This was proven true when David went out alone against the giant Goliath. Also, when Daniel stood alone in his pledge to remain faithful to God and ended up in a lion’s den. Also, when Joseph stood alone facing false sexual misconduct charges by Potiphar’s wife and ended up in prison. That’s why these great men, along with other valiant men and women over the centuries, have become our heroes. But there is one greater still. When Jesus stood alone before Pontius Pilate and refused to recant that He was the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of kings and ended upon on a cross.

But David’s willingness to stand up for what he believed led to his becoming a king and Daniel became the personal advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar, and Joseph became the second in command next to Pharaoh in Egypt. Likewise, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father to be our personal advocate. And just like David saved the Israelites from the Philistines. Daniel made it possible for the Jews to return to their homeland. Joseph helped save his family from starvation, so Jesus saved us from a terrible destiny so that we could not only love Him, serve Him, be in union with Him, but one day rule and reign with Him! It doesn’t get any better than when you’re asked sometimes to stand alone for God.