Introduction
This witness to the greatness of God was written by a friend of mine, Hugo, who is originally from Cuba. I was teaching a class on Ephesians and he was one of its most active members. The class had been asked to give example of the greatness of God. What Hugo wrote was an example of what Paul was describing in Ephesians 1: 17-20. Here is the text from Ephesians.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:17-20.
Here is Hugo’s witness. The events he describes took place in Cuba.
AN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD
WE ALL HAVE HAD MOMENTS IN WHICH WE EXPERIENCED THE PRESENCE OF GOD MORE THAN IN OTHER MOMENTS. I AM GOING TO MENTION SOME OF THE ONES I CHERISHED MOST.
IT WAS A LOT TIME AGO, WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, PERHAPS 60 YEARS AGO. I WAS STANDING AT A CORNER CLOSE TO THE CATHEDRAL IN MY HOME TOWN, MATANZAS IN CUBA. IT WAS THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING, AND A PROCESSION WAS TAKEN PLACE TOWARD THE BUILDING. I KNOW NOW, THAT EVEN THOUGH FAITH IS DEPOSITED BY THE PEOPLE ON WRONG THINGS, SUCH AS MAN-MADE STATUES THAT ARE REVERED AND ADORED, IT SEEMED TO ME, THAT GOD APPRECIATED THE FAITH OF THE PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THE WORD SAYS THAT YOU SHALL NOT ADORE GRAVEN IMAGES. ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE PRESENCE OF GOD, SOMETHING I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE, HE HAD COME TO ME, AND HIS PRESENCE MADE ME UNWORTHY, UNCLEAN, SO I HAD THE URGE TO COME INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL AND CONFESS MY SINS. TO MY DESPAIR, ALL THE CONFESSIONARIES WERE BUSY, SO I FOUND A PRIEST CLOSE TO THE ALTAR AND ASK HIM IF I COULD CONFESS MY SINS, HE SAID YES, AND TOOK ME TO THE ALTAR, THEN I STARTED TO WEEP, WITH SUCH AN INTENSITY, THAT THE PRIEST TRIED TO COMFORT AND QUIET ME. THIS WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, GOD HAD COME TO MY SOUL, I ONLY COULD BUT WEEP AND CONFESS MY SINS. NOW I THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT AND THE WORD OF THE LORD IN PSALM 51 THAT SAYS:
1)“HAVE MERCY ON ME, O GOD ACCORDING TO YOUR UNFAILING LOVE; ACCORDING TO YOUR GREAT COMPASSION BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRE-SSIONS.2) WASH AWAY ALL MY INIQUITY AND CLEANSE ME FROM MY SIN. 3) FOR I KNOW MY TRANSGRESSIONS, AND MY SIN IS ALWAYS BEFORE ME. 4) AGAINST YOU, YOU ONLY, HAVE I SINNED AND WHAT IS EVIL IN YOUR SIGHT…. “
LATER ON, I FELT HIS PRESENCE AGAIN, THIS TIME IN ONE ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE COST ME TO DIE. I WAS RIDING MY BICYCLE IN A TWO WAY STREET, THERE WAS NO CAR COMING FROM MY OPPOSITE LANE, SO I ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT, WHEN I LOOKED BEHIND ME THERE WAS A CAR PASSING ANOTHER AND THE DRIVER WAS DISTRACTED SHOWING SOMETHING TO HIS FEMALE COMPANION, IN MY HORRIFIED SIGHT THE CAR WAS COMING TOWARD ME AND I COULD DO NOTHING, I FELT THE BICYCLE SEPARATING FROM MY BODY, AND LOST CONSCIENCE. WHEN I WOKE UP I WAS LYING ON THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. INSTEAD OF THE BICYCLE FALLING UNDERNEATH THE CAR TIRES, THE BUMPER HIT THE REAR TIRE OF THE BICYCLE AND I GOT MIRACULOUSLY CATAPULTED OVER THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND MY BODY ROLLED DOWN THE PAVEMENT, JUST WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED. THERE WAS NO BROKEN BONES, NO DAMAGE WHATSOEVER TO MY BODY. NOW WHN I THINK ABOUT THIS MOMENT, I REMEMBER THE WORDS IN THE BIBLE IN THE PSALM 34 THAT SAYS: 19) “A RIGHTEOUS MAN MAY HAVE MANY TROUBLES, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM FROM THEM ALL; 20) HE PROTECTS ALL HIS BONES, NOT ONE OF THEM WILL BE BROKEN.”
A THIRD BIG EXPERIENCE WAS WHEN I TOOK THE DECISION OF LEAVING CUBA AND THE COMMUNISM TO AVOID THAT MY CHILDREN WOULD BE INDOCTRINATED IN AN ATHEIST DOCTRINE. THEY HAD ALL THE CHILDREN IN CUBA TO START THE DAY, SINGING A HYMN THAT SAYS: WE HAVE NO CESAR NO GOD.” THERE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A REPRISAL, TO THOSE THAT WANTED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, PROMISED CASTRO. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU MANIFESTED YOUR DESIRES TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO THE MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, AND TO YOUR WORK, YOU WERE FIRED FROM YOUR WORK. SO THERE I WAS, FIRED FROM MY WORK, NOT KNOWING HOW MANY MONTHS SHALL I BE WITHOUT EARNING A SALARY. WHERE TO FIND A JOB ELSEWHERE, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT HAD MANY YEARS AGO, TAKEN POSSESSION OF ALL THE BUSINESSES, BIG AND SMALL. I SENT MY WIFE AND OUR TWO DAUGHTERS TO HER PARENT’S HOME, SO THAT I COULD STAY INSIDE THE APARTMENT WITH GOD BY MYSELF. I POURED ON HIM MY DESPAIR, MY TEARS, MY LONELINESS, I FELT THAT I WAS HELPLESS, I HAD NO CLUE OF WHAT I COULD DO, I WAS FACING THE WORST MOMENT OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY. LATER ON, WHEN I WENT TO UNITE MYSELF WITH MY FAMILY IT WAS CHRISTMAS TIME, MY BROTHER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A MAN IN MY HOME TOWN, THAT SOLD HOME MADE TRUCK MIRRORS. I WENT TO MEET THIS MAN, THAT SOLD THESE MIRRORS, SCARCELY. I OFFERED TO TRY TO SELL THESE MIRRORS TO THE GOVERNMENT. NEITHER HE NOR I, COULD EVEN DREAM TO SELL MORE THAT 10, TO MY SURPRISE, I STARTED SELLING (I WAS AN ACCOUNTANT BY TRADE) THESE MIRRORS BY THE HUNDRETHS, THIS WAS REALLY A MIRACLE, I WAS ABLE TO FEED MY FAMILY AND PAY ALL EXPENSES, TILL I LEFT THE COUNTRY. YES, HE IS JEHOVAH JIRAH, MY PROVIDER. AGAIN I REMEMBER THE WORDS IN THE BIBLE IN PHILLIPPIANS 4: THAT SAYS: 19)“AND MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS.20) TO OUR GOD AND FATHER BE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER AMEN.”
