I’ve been thinking about how quickly we forget the mercy and kindness of the Lord. I guess what started me thinking in this direction was remembering back to the day I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness for which there is no known cure. I think my wife best described our feelings at the time, as being ‘kicked in the stomach.’ We thought that this would just be a routine doctor visit. That we would be given a prescription and everything would be fine but the extreme opposite and unexpected occurred. I was given a very uncertain forecast for my future. Here I am, one who had been very careful about diet and close to fanatical about physical fitness, now very, very ill. We had made plans to visit China in May of that year and had already purchased our airline tickets. Now we are told we should not even think about going because of my serious condition. We had felt like the Lord wanted us to spend the rest of our lives taking young people to various Christian mission works around the world….but not now.
How can a person prepare for news they really never expect to hear, at least until you are really, really old. I remember training for a marathon and being told ‘if you train correctly, your training will carry you through to the finish.’ I must say this same advice is carrying me through to the finish of my final and most important race. Thank God I learned to cultivate a life history with the Lord Jesus. Being alone daily with the Lord has proven to be the secret of my strength and peace. He has proven to be who He says He is! I had heard about Him with the hearing of the ear but now my eyes have beheld Him.
In those scary moments when you’re kicked in the stomach by the reality of serious illness, a rebellious youth, unexpected death of a loved one or a failing marriage, what will you do? If you will turn to Jesus in these desperate moments He will meet you, even if you have made no preparation for the inevitable day of tough news. How weak and absolutely helpless we are in these times of severe trial. Our loving Father tenderly bears us up moment by moment through the darkness of an uncertain future. As a little child cries out in fear in a dark room and is quickly comforted just by the sound of the parents voice nearby, so are we comforted by the knowledge of a God who draws near to the helpless and desperate. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. My testimony is that He is absolutely trustworthy no matter what happens, even through the valley of the shadow of death.
Though my health crisis is not over, I am improving. Thanks be to God for His mercy and loving kindness. My days are in His hands.
Gary's notes Blog 