Sabbath Thoughts 09/25/2009

We are very occupied with the child who is presently staying at our home. We got a call from the nurse at the school she attends a little over a week ago and we had to rush her to the emergency room. She spent four days in the hospital recovering from a very high and dangerous sugar count, blood issues in that regard, and her medication has been adjusted as a result of the observations by the doctors.


Her 14th birthday party had to be delayed for a week (it was held this past weekend). Often I wonder why these things happen when doing what we know to be right; not sending a child back into a situation that was untenable. Instant resistance appears in the middle of the voyage. I thought of Christ telling the disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side; only to be met by a severe storm, waves and great fear.


Moses and hundreds of thousands of the Children of Israel being led right to the sea, surrounded by two mountains; with Pharaoh's army in fast pursuit. Again, Moses and a great battle where the only thing that saved the day was his upraised hands, which got so tired that another had to keep them propped up so Israel would continue to prevail in battle. Elijah being told that a great rain was coming to deliver from a severe drought; only to have to put his head between his knees and pray the rain down; checking many times for even a cloud that had promise of rain.


Jesus praying three times in the Garden for the cup to be removed if possible. His final prayer was not My will, but the Father's be done. The Apostle Paul; shipwrecked, beaten and left for dead, stoned, imprisoned, mocked and derided by both Jews and Greeks and Romans. King David running for his life from a mad King Saul; even so far as going into the enemy camp to find a little peace and safety. Jeremiah being cast into a pit of miry water to almost drown after doing and saying what God told him to do and say.


Am I to be treated differently? Have God's ways changed? He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. We develop arms that can bend bows of iron for battle only one way; through training, faith, hardship and the natural human uncertainties that come with our still being in a mortal body. The decision to set the mortal aside for the spiritual person in us, which is where God dwells, is our duty. We must do so as the day of His return approaches.


We must prepare to live like this, not just on Sunday but daily; hourly during times of trial and testing when the fires seem to get hotter.


Regarding the child with us; we have been in a quandary to know how to initiate contact with a child diabetes doctor and a pediatrician here in WV. Her doctors are in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. We have been beating our heads against a brick wall with Child Protective Services and the Department of Health and Human Services here also. We have had telephone calls and sat in offices for hours on end with no visible results. BUT !! -


The hospital stay unclogged the pipeline! We now have both doctors we needed, the child has been approved on a monthly basis for Medicaid to cover her medical expenses (which was a major worry for us) and what seemed like a final nail in the coffin when she was rushed to the emergency room brought new life and hope.


If any person experienced life to its fullest, in all of its glory, heartache and detail, it was King David. I would like to close with one of his prayers found in 1 CHRONICLES 29:11-13 ~


" Thine, O LORD, is the greatness,
and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty;
for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine;"


" Thine is the kingdom, O LORD,
and Thou art exalted as head above all.
Both riches and honour come of Thee,
and Thou reignest over all;
and in Thine hand is power and might; "


" and in Thine hand it is to make great,
and to give strength unto all.
Now therefore, our God,
we thank Thee,
and praise Thy glorious Name."