Friday, September 08, 2006

God's Whisper

“God’s Whisper” is stronger and more powerful than any force on earth. When I wrote this poem, I’d just gone through an experience and wanted to write and share the very essence of it. Over several days I thought about and distilled it down to relatively few words. Yet I think it may be helpful to also share a bit about the experience itself.
On Labor Day, September 6th (Mom’s birthday) I’d had neck problems for two weeks already. It had improved some, but two days prior I’d had setbacks. Still I felt good enough to go to dinner at my sister, Linda’s to celebrate. While eating cake and ice cream, my neck started to hurt. I tried to finish, but every time I took a mouthful it hurt. Finally I just held my neck, until it got so bad I decided to try a higher backed chair so I could lean my head on it. It continued to hurt, so I looked for a bed with a relatively flat pillow (like I used at home). Not finding any, I decided I needed to lie down regardless. During the previous two weeks lying down had always helped. So I plopped on my sister’s bed, even though it hurt. It helped being in that position but laying down made it more difficult to move without pain.
Linda found me and was concerned as the rest of the family were. Seeing me like that was a new experience for them, they’d always assumed I was like the “Energizer Bunny”, in that I always kept going.
I said I thought I’d get better if I lay there a while and they left me alone.
After that I felt someone with me. I looked up, saw a face, but couldn’t make out who it was until my sister-in-law, Bev asked, “Do you mind if I pray for you.” At once I felt, “Of course. Why hadn’t I thought of it?” Though I’d been praying all along, I never thought to ask for prayer. This went through my mind like a streak and I simply answered, “I’d love it.” When she laid her hand on me it hurt, yet I was unwilling to have her take it away, so I said nothing. I tried to listen, but it took too much effort and pain, so I simply yielded myself to God and asked Him to direct her words.
I’m not really sure what I expected from that prayer. In the past I’d have thought it hadn’t been answered, if the pain hadn’t gone away or at least diminished some. But the pain didn’t go away, later after everyone else had gone, I decided I needed to go home and Linda gave me a ride, offering to take me to the hospital, which I declined.
After Terry came home he took me to the emergency room. After x-rays, a cat scan and an MRI they finally had a diagnosis. There is a problem with the vertebrae, due to deterioration from RA and osteoporosis and there was inflammation. The pain medication made me sick and we were in the ER all night. When they’d done all they would, I still hurt bad. Just before we left Terry asked if a neck brace would help and they “gave” us one. This helped more than anything.
Home I zonked out and Terry watched over me. The first few days I rested quite a bit and the pain lessened dramatically. I was so thankful I could lay or sit without constant pain.
From the beginning whenever I woke up, I marveled at the prayer. I knew it was significant and powerful and mentioned it to whoever would listen. When my brother called the first evening to see how I was, I asked to talk to Bev, I needed to tell how much her prayer had meant to me. As I shared with her, my words felt totally inadequate. During the next few days, after catching up on my sleep, I thought a lot about this prayer and why it was so powerful and meaningful.
My conclusion: God called Bev to pray for me, she was His channel, it was “God’s Whisper” to me. Because Bev obeyed God, and prayed for me, I received the assurance of His presence with me. I wasn’t “off His radar”, but rather was securely in His hands. He used her to enable, prepare, and strengthen me to be able to endure the night He knew lay ahead of me.

GOD’S WHISPER

Passing through a dry land
Desperate for a drink,
To satisfy thirst,
To cleanse my soul.

My heart races and pounds,
And I bow to fear.

Where IS my Lord
My Savior
My King?

I know He’s good and cares,
But my eyes are dimmed by pain.

Why can’t I sense my wonderful God?
Where is He?
“Please,” I beg.

Then the faintest whisper reaches my ear—
“I’m here WITH you, My child.
Do not fear, I am your strength and shield.”

Saturday, September 02, 2006

The Beginning

This morning as I had my quiet time, the Lord blessed me with some thoughts (which I wrote about previously on this blog). For a time, since I began hearing about blogs, I've wanted one to share my thoughts on the wonderful goodness of God. But didn't know how to go about it. When I found how easy it was to set up a blog, I practiced on a genealogy blog first.
Right after I set that up, my life got very busy and I haven't written on it in a long time, and this failure (I felt) kept me from setting up one for my spiritual thoughts. But this morning I felt the Lord's nudge and so here I am.
So often I've heard people complain and blame God for many horrible things. When they say, stuff like, "Why did God cause/ allow this disaster or that disaster?," I know they really do not know God nor have they read His words, as set forth in the Holy Bible.
I have no wish to argue with anyone about this, but I do want to present an answer to those who truly want to know about the great goodness of God. Anyway this is my beginning.

Psalms 119: 9-16 thoughts

Verse 9 says - How can a young man cleanse His way? By taking heed to Your word.
This is not to say he will be perfect, but that as he continues to turn back to the word of God and act on it or make it a part of his life - his way will be cleansed as he goes.
Verse 11 -- Your word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
To hide the word in our heart means more than just to memorize it (though of course it can start there.) We must also act on it or do it.