Early Monday morning I'll be in surgery, so, obviously, I won't be posting anything for few days. The truth is that I may never have the opportunity to share with you on this site again. Yes, that risk is there.
There are two ways of looking at the possible outcomes. One possibility is that I don't survive. I can tell you now, sincerely, that that outcome is okay with me. God has forgiven my sins and given me eternal life through Jesus Christ.
If I survive, and I fully expect to, that's alright, too. Romans 8:28 (KJV) promises that "all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." I believe He has a purpose for me (and you) in either living or dying.
Putting it simply, if I die, I get to be with Jesus. If I live, Jesus stays with me. ("I'll never leave you, nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5b) In today's vernacular, that's a win, win situation. In Jim's vernacular, "Ain't God good?"
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Forgive me, Lord
When I shared with you, in my last post, about my upcoming surgery, I didn't realize it was so self centered. My intentions were to express how God's promises can be applied to our daily lives and experiences.
Since that time, I emailed a family member to inform him of my surgery, only to discover that he had been in the hospital for a week. He answered on his lap top in the hospital room and offered prayers for me.
In addition, I received a phone call telling me that a close friend in our church had died. When I talked to her daughter to offer condolences, her response was to thank us for our friendship to her mother and offer prayers for us in our "ordeal."
Lord, forgive me for thinking more often of myself than of others. Help me to be aware that everybody around me is going through his, or her, own set of problems and needs. Could it be that that's what You meant when You said "love your neighbor as yourself"?
Since that time, I emailed a family member to inform him of my surgery, only to discover that he had been in the hospital for a week. He answered on his lap top in the hospital room and offered prayers for me.
In addition, I received a phone call telling me that a close friend in our church had died. When I talked to her daughter to offer condolences, her response was to thank us for our friendship to her mother and offer prayers for us in our "ordeal."
Lord, forgive me for thinking more often of myself than of others. Help me to be aware that everybody around me is going through his, or her, own set of problems and needs. Could it be that that's what You meant when You said "love your neighbor as yourself"?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Trusting God with all my heart
Proverbs 3:5 and 6 (KJV) reads as follows, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." These two verses of scripture are ones that were taught to me in Sunday school at a very early age. As a matter of fact, it is much easier for someone very young to memorize almost anything and not forget it by the next morning. But, I never thought how appropriate and meaningful that passage would be for me lately.
Over the last year or so, my primary care physician had noticed a slight heart murmur that did not go away. So, in my best interests, he ordered some tests, blood work, EKGs, etc. After those reports were in, he referred me to a cardiologist, who, as you would expect, ordered more tests and procedures. It was finally determined that I had a defective heart valve and some blocked arteries, requiring valve replacement and one to three bypasses. Open heart surgery is scheduled early next week.
It is true that such surgery is commonplace and practically routine. It is also true that such surgery is not one of my "life experiences." Obviously though, it is about to become one. So, as a Christian, I need to deal with it--and deal with it AS a Christian. Does this scripture have any "real" meaning to me, or not? Do I "really" believe that if I trust in the Lord completely and acknowledge Him in everything that He would be faithful to His Word?
The promise here is not that God would heal me, help me recuperate and be completely whole. The promise is only that He would direct my paths. Help me, Lord, to see that Your directions are all I need.
Now, all of a sudden, what I learned as a child took on a much larger meaning. If I trust God with all my heart (the whole of my spirit), He will direct my paths. If I trust God with all my heart (the pump and distributor of life-giving blood), He will direct my paths also. The lesson for me, then, is, if He is directing, its okay to follow. Follow, I will follow Thee, my Lord..."
Over the last year or so, my primary care physician had noticed a slight heart murmur that did not go away. So, in my best interests, he ordered some tests, blood work, EKGs, etc. After those reports were in, he referred me to a cardiologist, who, as you would expect, ordered more tests and procedures. It was finally determined that I had a defective heart valve and some blocked arteries, requiring valve replacement and one to three bypasses. Open heart surgery is scheduled early next week.
It is true that such surgery is commonplace and practically routine. It is also true that such surgery is not one of my "life experiences." Obviously though, it is about to become one. So, as a Christian, I need to deal with it--and deal with it AS a Christian. Does this scripture have any "real" meaning to me, or not? Do I "really" believe that if I trust in the Lord completely and acknowledge Him in everything that He would be faithful to His Word?
The promise here is not that God would heal me, help me recuperate and be completely whole. The promise is only that He would direct my paths. Help me, Lord, to see that Your directions are all I need.
Now, all of a sudden, what I learned as a child took on a much larger meaning. If I trust God with all my heart (the whole of my spirit), He will direct my paths. If I trust God with all my heart (the pump and distributor of life-giving blood), He will direct my paths also. The lesson for me, then, is, if He is directing, its okay to follow. Follow, I will follow Thee, my Lord..."
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