June Yates-Boykin

I admit it, I don’t pray about everything.  I rarely ask God what to wear, what to cook for dinner, or even what brands to buy.  I am, however, a firm believer in praying before making any decision more important than how to arrange my furniture.  I ask God’s help with problems both large and small. One of our church members used me as an example in a Sunday school discussion.  I know his goal was to portray me as a proper role model, but I’m not so sure that was the result. 

He said, “June is always so calm. It’s because she prays about everything.  I can call her up and tell her my house is on fire and she will say, “I will go pray about this and call you back.  In the meantime, don’t panic and don’t do anything rash.’”  You know, like dial 9-1-1 and get your family out of the house.

Sometimes decisions have to be made in an instant.  Burning houses don’t wait. We don’t always have three days to fast and pray before making a decision or taking action. 

Like the Sunday evening when during the praise and worship portion of our evening service we were visited by a lightning storm.  Nothing unusual in Florida.  As a matter of fact, some of us get too comfortable with the lightning – it is a part of our life.  Lightning is nothing to play with and tempting it runs a close second to tempting the Lord Himself. 

There I was, playing the keyboard and leading the team in song when a piercing bolt of lightning somehow found its way into our building with no desire to remain anonymous.  It came directly my way and ricocheted back and forth between the speaker pole and the keyboard.  Each strike to either piece was within inches of where I stood.

On the back row my brother was close to hysteria as he tried to warn me of the dangerous intruder.  His eyes the size of saucers, he was flapping his arms wildly in the air like a castaway trying desperately to capture the attention of a plane overhead.  He would wave his arms above his head, then point at the lightning, wave some more, point at the lightning.  As if I can’t see it!

While my brother frantically tried to signal a rescue team and most everyone in the congregation stopped singing along but forgot to close their mouths, the sharp lightning bolt continued to bounce back and forth between the metal pole and the keyboard. It sounded like insects frying in a bug zapper and lit up the front corner of the sanctuary the way it often does our Florida sky.  Wide, jagged beams of electricity threatened me and the church equipment.  I had to make a decision on the spur – or should I say spark – of the moment.

A voice of reason within my head kept shouting, “PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD!” 

I did not.  The praise team followed my lead.  They were staring wide-eyed at the dancing bolt, but as long as I sang, they sang.  Though not once did I stop playing, I wasn’t exactly focused on worship at the moment.  Questions bombarded my mind at a speed that would have challenged the Flash. 

What are these keys made of?  Can lightning come through them and kill me?  Since when is this song so long?  Questions to be answered and a decision to be made, and no time to pray other than repeating Jesus’ name in my mind as I persisted.

Even with all the uncertainty of those seconds, I was convinced that if I stopped playing, the lightning would destroy the keyboard and speaker.  So long as I kept my hands on the keys and we continued to sing, the anointing of the Holy Spirit would protect this expensive equipment.  So, eyes unable to separate themselves from the potentially deadly light show in front of me, I played.  We sang.

A couple of minutes seemed like an hour, but then it was over.  Just seconds before the song ended the lightning retreated.   The congregation could breathe once again and chatter ensued when my brother shouted from the back, “Didn’t you see the lightening?”

Sure I saw it.  I recognized the danger.  But that was not the time to drop to my knees and pray for guidance.  There was a decision to be made at that moment.  Do I put my hands in the air and back away from the keyboard, or do I stand firm against this attacker and not let it destroy what God had given us?  My decision was the latter.

I don’t know for sure the equipment would have been destroyed.  If it had been, God would have replaced it.  What I do know is at that moment there was not time to pray, but my relationship of prayer and communing with God all throughout the day resulted in a decision based on faith, not fear.

Amid the questions and in spite of my own logic, there was a voice that prevailed.  “Stand your ground. Don’t let it stop you. Defend your blessing. I’ll protect you.”  That’s what I did.  That’s what He did.

That situation illustrates some valuable lessons I try to live by every day that have brought me through several must-act-now situations:

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If you don’t already, start practicing these principles now.  Prepare today for tomorrow’s emergencies.

No, I don’t pray about every single thing, but I do pray all throughout my day.  Not just formal, on-my-knees prayer, but conversation.  I maintain an open line of communication with Holy Spirit and try my best to include Him in whatever I’m doing.  This is primarily because I love Him and He amazes me.  It is also because I need Him.  I recognize there will be emergencies and time constraints that do not allow for days of fasting and prayer before taking action.  My relationship with the Lord needs to be one where at any moment I can think upon His name and when necessary, hear His answer in an instant.  So does yours.

Ready or not, emergencies arise.  Be ready.

©2023

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