Trusting Jesus
I was feeling anxious about my husband, Mike's, surgery. I am thankful for a knee revision after his pain and limping for 14 months. After being told nothing was wrong he finally got to a specialist who shook his knee and said you can hear the parts moving around! The day is finally here! But then came the high risk talk about his blood clot issues. Being the good provider that Mike is, he left everything written down for me and had "the talks" with me. Feeling a need for prayer warriors, I reached out and asked for specific prayers. Pastor Barry is very special to my family so I was not surprised when he immediately reached out. He said he wanted to do things differently today. He wanted to see us, in person, before we left town for Duke.
Pastor Barry recited James 5: 14-16, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Pastor Barry broke the scriptures down and asked Mike what was wrong. Mike told him about his knee and the blood clot issues. Pastor Barry reminded him that I had called for the elders when I reached out to him for prayer. Mom and I were there also and we are elders because we believe that Jesus Christ can heal. He anointed Mike with oil in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I love what Pastor Barry always says, there is nothing magical about this oil. It is our faith in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that will heal. Then he asked Mike if he has sinned and reminded him he will be forgiven. Then we prayed for God's healing Hand on Mike.
I can tell you there was not a dry eye after that prayer but there was a lot more peace. 1 Peter 5: 7, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." It is easy for me to write about trusting God about a lot of things but it is different when it is my loved one. I want to be in control but I cannot be. I have to look up! I have to remember Jesus loves Mike more than I do! Ephesians 2: 4-5, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved." He knows Mikes body - He formed it in the womb. Psalm 139: 3-14, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." And He will guide that surgeon's hand. And He will give that anesthesiologist wisdom and clarity. Who better to have in that operating room than Jesus Himself?!
When we trust God when life is hard, we go to Him. In obedience, we go to His Word and trust Him with the rest. I may not do this well but each time life is hard and I have to go to Him I get better at trusting. That is why I have to thank Him for the hard times because that is when we grow in Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "...in everything give thanks..." Each time I am able to look back at His faithfulness beyond belief! I will try to be more like David who said in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Thank you for your prayers and praises for Mike today (Tuesday) at 10:30.