A God-filled Monday

When my alarm clock went off yesterday at its normal time, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of my nice comfy, warm, soft bed. Loosing that hour of sleep the night before really messed me up. Who came up with the crazy idea in the first place?- changing the time and all- for the love of sleep, give us a break! Anyway… After hitting snooze for, uh…say…30 minutes or so, I finally rolled out of bed only to find that the coffee pot had decided to sleep in as well- ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

While the coffee brewed I grabbed my Bible and my journal and began my prayer time with the Lord. What an awesome time of praise and worship to my Father it was. I ended my prayer time asking the Lord to give me opportunities to serve Him that day and to recognize those opportunities when He presented them to me. I was able to spend a lot of time in the Word and drink a whole cup of coffee before it got cold, because the kiddos didn’t wake up until 8:30- well, I guess for their internal time clocks it was really 7:30, but since the time change it was now 8:30- AHHHHHH! I can’t stand time change! However, the Lord knew I would need some extra time with Him to prepare me for the day that was to come.

As I heard everyone begin squirming in their beds, I closed up my Bible and journal and began preparing for the day. Breakfast was cooking, laundry was in the wash, the kids were up doing their chores, and then the phone rang. It was the husband of a couple in our Sunday School class.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hey. This is ___________,” he said.

“Well, good morning. How are you this morning?”

All he could say was, “We need ya’ll to pray.”

“Absolutely,” I replied, “what’s going on?”

He begins weeping. I can’t understand a word he’s saying. He gives the phone to his sister. She explains to me that he and his wife were in a motorcycle accident the night before and the wife is still in the hospital unconscious and not doing well at all. My thoughts immediately go back to my prayer time with the Lord earlier in the morning- “Lord give me opportunities to serve You today and recognize them when they come.” Here was my opportunity to serve the Lord and my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“I’ll be right there,” I said. I hung up the phone, gathered my children together and told them that God had just given us a chance to serve Him today and to serve some people who had been hurt very badly. I explained to them that mommy needed to go to the hospital today and they were going to stay with a friend. Thanks so much to my friend who graciously opened her home up to my three kids for the day! You totally rock!

While I was getting ready to go to the hospital and as I drove there, the only thing I could pray was “God work.” “God work.” “God work.” I had taken a class in college that required us to do a brief internship at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola Florida where we were to serve as on-call chaplains. My mind was racing through all the things you are suppose to say and all the things you are not suppose to say. Mentally I was prepared for this visit; I was ready for God to work through me, or so I thought. I guess it’s different when you actually know the person who is the patient. I went into her room, walked up to her bed, and softly spoke to her while rubbing her arm. I don’t know if she heard me, but I told her I loved her very much and began praying over her. The thoughts in my head were spinning around so fast. Again, the only thing I could pray was “God work.” I spoke with her husband for a few moments and then left to run some errands for them and fix a snack basket for them to have at the hospital.

I sat in my van for a long time in the hospital parking lot just numb. I was very tempted to get angry and question God. When something like this happens I don’t think we are ever fully prepared. But, all day long God kept saying to me, “Remember where we’ve been lately- all the things I’ve shown you about clinging to Me and praising Me in the storms?” “Yes, Lord, I remember.” “This is the reason why, precious child. I’ve been preparing you for this moment. It’s time for you to cling to Me, serve your brothers and sisters, and most of all to praise Me. Praise Me in this storm, because I am in control. I know what’s best.”

I must admit to you, I don’t understand it. I don’t know what the future holds for this precious couple, but I know the One who holds the future. My God, your God, their God- Jehovah Rapha, the God who Heals is holding all of us right now in the palm of His mighty hand working all things for His glory.

So today Lord, we will praise You with our whole heart. We will tell of Your marvelous works. In the midst of this storm we will be glad and rejoice for You are Almighty God. We will sing praises to You, El Elyon, the Most High God. We will bless Your name, O Lord. (Psalm 9:1 &2)