The story of God's interaction with humans does not end with the Bible; it is not confined to the pages of Scripture or merely retold from generation to generation. God's interaction with us is continuous and real. That is why this notion of "God" never ceases, but continues throughout the ages. He cannot be ignored. His presence is everywhere. We just have to pay attention to what He is doing and we will see great and mighty things.
When we look back over the past year we can't help but smile. What comes to our mind is not primarily things of this world. Yes, when we see Isaiah and have the privilege of squeezing him, holding him and loving him right here in person with us, we smile and we thank. However, as the story unfolds of his experience those sixteen days in the hospital, that is when we light up with joy.
Not only were we granted more time on this earth with our son, but our son was used in a way we will never fully comprehend or know. He did battle while in the hospital; a battle between Jesus and "the monsters". The toy sword that remained by his bedside because it just "needed to" was indeed needed. Isaiah told me then while he was trying to fall asleep after a long fought recovery from delirium, and he tells me now, but in more detail, about the things that were happening while he was asleep. Jesus was fighting what he calls "monsters" and they continuously fell off a cliff behind Jesus over and over. Jesus simply slashed his sword back and forth as they came at him and then were defeated.
While in the hospital and he told me, "Oh yeah, Jesus is stronger than the monsters", I assumed he somehow thought his struggle with sleep was like a monster. I did not think I had used that word when helping him through his challenges. I was struck at how that simple statement made by this little boy made him instantly find peace and rest.
What I do know about those sixteen days is that they were allowed, by God, to happen. He knew this was coming for Isaiah. He chose to use Isaiah to fight this battle and take the hit so that people could come to understand that this life is not all we get. This life provides a glimpse into something so much greater.
Our deepest prayer was for people to come to know the God we know...a real and active God who wants to be a part of our lives, a God that wants to use us (in all our human normal-ness!). He wants to comfort us in this hard and sometimes painful world. He wants us to come to Heaven with him someday.
I believe that is why there was a battle going on between Jesus and the "monsters". The prayers of many helped Isaiah hold fast and fight until that battle was over. What I knew in my mother's heart once he was on the ventilator was that he needed our support. He needed prayer and that prayer would feed him and strengthen him...prayer would do something more than any doctor could.
I had never experienced prayer in such a real way before. Nothing quite like this. I had never experienced being on the receiving end of other peoples fervent prayers. It is indescribable really, but I would say that it was almost physically uplifting. We were able to do the things we did and make it through each trial and fear because of other people who were praying. We felt it. We felt something deep in our souls every moment. That I know with all certainty.
The prayers fought the battle. The prayers won. Who was Jesus fighting for? What was the devil trying to accomplish during this time? We, likely, will never know. What we do know is that lives were changed. Our lives were changed for the better and Isaiah's was to. For that, we could never say we wished we had not gone through this trial. This trial was the biggest blessing of our life.
Thank you, Lord, that you chose us for this. Thank you that you desire to use all of us to do more than we will ever know, though we fail you at times and fail others. We do nothing, but it is your power in us that accomplishes much. "...for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9
No comments:
Post a Comment