"Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper...it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." - Psalm 118:5-7
The words "The Lord is on my side" are such a comfort. Romans 8:31 puts it this way: "God is for us". Think about that for a minute. God is for us. The Sovereign Maker of the universe, who has authority over angels and demons and rulers and nations and wind and waves and viruses and the smallest of molecules, is for us. We who are "accounted as dust on the scales...as less than nothing and emptiness" (Isaiah 40:15,17) have the almighty, risen Christ on our side.
What do we have to fear? God is for us, on our side, and is therefore exerting all of his sovereign power for our good and his glory.
God is for Ian! Oh, it seems like there is so much against Ian right now. But God is on Ian's side! Jesus Christ, the living and ruling Lord, is working on Ian's behalf at this very minute. "God is for us". This is our hope. This is Ian's hope. When all is said and done our hope isn't in doctors, or medicine, or hospitals (and believe me, we are so very grateful for all of these). Our hope is in the fact that Jesus Christ is on our side.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe..." -- Ephesians 1:17-19
David
1 comment:
Dear unknown friends,
Today I was organizing the links in my "Favorites" folder and came across this site. At first I couldn't rememember how or where I found it, but after reading through the comments, I remembered that I too had marked this site after seeing a reference to it on Carolyn McCulley's blog.
Now today I have come back to it and starting back at the beginning in October, I scanned through all the entries up until today's post. What is there to say, after reading a story like this, (and reading it all at once, to boot)??
I know that caregiving is draining and exhausting in every way, and that you must long for "normal lives" again. I can only trust God to sustain you with His tender care. It's obvious that He has been feeding you daily with fresh manna.
I notice that you have some new readers; people who have started visiting because of the Solo Femininity link; strangers (like me) who have heard about Ian through various sources and are praying for him and for all of you. It made me think of Moses in the battle of Exodus 17... and how that when Moses grew weary of holding his arms to the sky, he sat on a rock and Aaron and Hur held up his hands until the victory was won.
I just want to say that it's okay to sit down if you are getting tired, and that all the people standing by will be happy to hold up your arms and keep them "steady" through this long vigil. And please allow us newcomers to be Aaron and Hur for you. The family of God is in this together! And "underneath are the everlasting arms".
Caring thoughts and prayers,
Linda Weaver
Salisbury, NC
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