This verse was one I never really noticed before... I mean, I have read this verse, but it never struck me like it has recently. It really shows how much God loves us and cares for us, how much He values knowing us.
Psalm 56:11, 13 are equally encouraging: "In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ...For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?"
We recently received news about the passing of a mom from church...please pray for my sisters. She was a friend to each of them and this is hard. Please pray for her family...her youngest is only 8. My heart aches for all the kids and for her husband. It may seem strange to be thinking about Psalm 56...a psalm rejoicing about being delivered from death in the wake of a death. But all that dies, when we trust in Christ, is the physical body....our souls are delivered from death the moment we put our trust in Christ! What a beautiful promise and truth!
My dad often reminds us that eternal life starts now...when we accept Christ, eternal life has begun! We have a relationship with the Holy God, the Everlasting Father! A relationship that will continue on for an eternity! That doesn't make it easy to say goodbye...it doesn't make it easy to see suffering and pain on this earth. I feel like this weekend has been full of news of pain and death. Such reminders that we live in a fallen world. But it's a beautiful reminder that God keeps our tears in a bottle...He doesn't forget the pain...and Jesus has suffered also and can relate to us in our sadness and suffering and weakness. When His friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept with Mary and Martha (John 11). Jesus is right here with us as we go through pain and suffering...He's right there with all those who have died this week, with family members weeping for loved ones, with Christians who are being persecuted for their faith...
I love Hebrews 4:13-16, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find help in the time of need."
It has been encouraging seeing the progress that my mum is making. Her speech is so improved! She's able to speak on the phone now and gave a speech for Josh's graduation celebration last night! She's also figured out how to use the little mobility she has in her right hip to swing her leg and use her walker to get around! Her attitude is incredible! I'm so thankful for her joy in the midst of this struggle. She's a huge inspiration! I was not feeling motivated to start strengthening my post-pregnancy core, but watching my mum work on the rowing machine and diligently work on walking has convicted me!
One thing I struggle with is when I'm asked when my mum will be "better." While we were told that her speech will most likely recover, doctors don't know about the arm and leg. We have heard of similar strokes and in some cases, complete mobility was regained within the first year. And in other cases, mobility was never regained. So I don't know how to answer that question...she is better than the day she had the stroke. She is improving, but she may never be "all better" while on the earth. Juanito pointed out that once Manana (what he calls my mum) is in heaven, she'll have a new body that's not broken. But we don't know what her body will be able to do for now on earth. I do know she will learn how to do more with or without more mobility. It will get easier for her to do things with her left hand and leg! And she's learning to compensate for lack of mobility on the right.
I am so thankful for all the offers for help with housework, for all the meals for my family, and for all the offers to help visit with my mum and take her to appointments. We are working on a Google calendar (if you want to be added, email me at berry31@gmail.com) to coordinate everything. Before she moves, Elizabee is helping me brainstorm what needs there will be at home (from helping with neatening up the house to taking Mum grocery shopping to sitting and having tea with her). It's so easy for me to be anxious about all the details for the care of my mum, my grandmothers and my own household, but I know that being anxious doesn't do anything....So I'm trying to mediate on Matthew 6:25-34. And I'd appreciate prayer for peace during this season since anxiety won't help anything get done! (But telling myself that doesn't always help....thus trying to focus on the truth in scripture...)
Matthew 6:25-34: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Emphasis mine.)
In closing, I'm thanking God that He knows our needs...He cares for us! And the Spirit is interceding!
Romans 8:26-27, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
Some days are encouraging, some days are so hard. I feel like so often I'm on an emotional roller coaster. But I'm so thankful for God's word that speaks directly to my soul.
Thanks for continued prayer and support. God bless.
Love,
Hannah
