It has been wonderful to hear from so many friends over this Christmas season. There have been so many asking "how are you doing?" and assurances "we have been praying for you and continue to pray for you". These relationships are invaluable riches.
This past week, over Christmas, has been so enjoyable with Jennifer and Kevin and 2 of our grandkids filling the house with stories and laughter and squeals of delight.
I have been home in recovery mode for about 3 weeks and I'm so grateful that strength is returning, I would estimate to perhaps the 33% level. The healing continues with the help of the visiting nurse every other day who changes the dressing on the wound from the surgery. And, as always, hovering over and above, just slightly lower than the angels, is my personal nurse, Shirley nee Booth. With all of this care, orchestrated by the Lord, I am of all men most blessed.
Some of you have been looking for this, another segment of the blog arising out of this "health issue", as we euphemistically call these crises. This will probably be the last in this series of reports and musings. It's time to rest and continue to let God do His work in my body and spirit.
But there is one last passage of Scripture that has captured my attention in a big way these days. It's about this "work" of God which is invisible on one level (only nurses and doctors see under the dressings to where the body is being re-knit together) and visible on another level. The Apostle Paul talks about the work of God being manifested openly, visibly as we lives our lives submissively and obediently under His good hand.
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The passage of Scripture is 2 Cor. 4:11-15 where Paul speaks about "death working in us but life working in you" (v.12). There are deep truths to be mined from this text. My experience cannot be equated to the Apostle's. He was facing death because of his witness for Christ in a hostile culture. My recent struggle with cancer has a very different source - living in an earthly physical body that is subject to disease and decay. But the phrase still fits: "death is at work". This is not a morbid lament but a realistic statement about the reality of life. It is passing and brief. We only have today that we can be certain about.
So the issue is "do we really understand that reality?" and "what do we do about it?" I know that that past few months have helped me to learn some of these lessons a little more deeply than ever before. I understand that God wants to use this season of facing "death at work" in my body to manifest His "life at work" for the sake of others coming to know Him better. My prayer is that every life that my life touches will be drawn closer to the Lord so that it can be truly said that when our last day comes (however and whenever) "the Lord Jesus will raise us up and present us with you." (v.14). That will cause great thanksgiving to about to the glory of God (v. 15). Amen. Thus endeth the lessons.
With love, prayer and thanksgiving. KEN
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Ken, I thought of you as I read this today:
ReplyDelete"The greatest miracle may well be that in the end, as we stand with Christ before the throne of God, we will see the faces of those who are in the presence of the Father, redeemed and holy, who entered in on the wake of our suffering...and we will agree that, though the pain was horrible, it was worth it all." (Gary Wiens, "Bridal Intercession).
I have been deeply impacted by your courageous sharing of the lessons divinely imparted to you during these months.
I join my prayers with yours, Ken and Shirley, that the life of Jesus will continue to be made manifest through you, and that He will raise you up as a testimony of His healing power -- to the praise of His glory.
Kathy Bousquet