Month: November 2023

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

To bring you all up to date, the swelling around Jon’s (my son) brain has gone down significantly. He keeps his eyes open for longer periods of time and seems less sleepy. He responds with a grimace to pain or discomfort, moves three limbs, and blinks his eyes if something gets close to them. If I clap over his head he opens his eyes and looks in the direction of the sound. Unfortunately, he still doesn’t respond to speech nor follow a single verbal command yet. Thank you for all your prayers, my friends, without them I know I wouldn’t see this much progress.

The relatives and I removed all the valuables from my son’s rental home and his garage space. He rented a single family home along with three other roommates in Gurnee. We took a few trips to remove what we could, but none of us had room for the furniture, which we left behind. I told the landlord three days ago that we took what we could, and he can do what he wants with the rest. Leo, the landlord, called me back right away and told me that the room has to be completely emptied and the floor swept clean by Nov. 7th. 

When I told the relatives they said forget it, let Leo remove everything and he can keep the security deposit, but Leo insisted we remove more things. I felt very stressed, being the legal guardian and stuck in the middle of a  dispute. I had no idea how I could empty the room by myself, but my last words to Leo were simply “OK.” 

So, I prayed and asked, “Jesus, help me, I don’t know what to do about Leo.“

Yesterday, I decided to go to the house for one last time, bringing garbage bags and do whatever I can. On the way there, I told Jesus, 

“I don’t know what to do about Leo.” 

I came to the house, no one was home, and as I opened the door to Jon’s room, I was shocked. It was completely emptied and clean swept. I later learned that Leo the landlord, did it himself, despite what he told me two days before. 

I immediately remembered my prayer, asking Jesus what to do about Leo. In that moment I realized Jesus’ answer was, “I’ll take care of Leo“ because He did. This may sound trivial as you are reading this, but for me, it was another sign of God’s grace at a time when so many stressors were piling up. Leo obviously had a change of heart, and I know Who changes all hearts. 

On Saturday, I was at a special  meeting for church workers, and in a brief message the minister said “We should all be able to say that we know Jesus better today than we did 5 years ago.” That phrase stuck with me and after this experience with Leo, the landlord, I realize how true this is. I do know Jesus better today than I did five years ago. As this scripture says, we grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. To know Him better is to love Him more, and to love Him more is to have more confidence in Him today, than ever before. 

Lord Jesus, help us realize our own growth in grace and knowledge of you over time, through all the circumstances of our lives. We may not know what tomorrow brings, but we know you are with us in every tomorrow that comes. Amen

“He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 8:26-27 (NIV)

The disciples were afraid for their lives, as they observed Jesus sleeping soundly in the midst of a violent storm. The boat was tossed about and rocked by water and waves. They finally woke Him up, shouting “Lord save us, we are perishing! ” Jesus called them out for submitting to the negative, without trusting in Him. They gave in to hopelessness, saying, “We are perishing!” As I read this, I wondered what words Jesus would prefer to hear from the disciples. Maybe He would rather be woken up with the words, “Jesus we’re trusting in you.”

I think about how often a storm has been so powerful that it’s easy to yield to a negative outcome. I may not be the only one who once called out to Jesus, “Lord, wake up, I am perishing!”

Jesus responded to the disciples saying, “You of little faith, why are you afraid?” Maybe He was upset that they ignored His actual presence in the boat, looking at the storm, instead of Him. Jesus seemed to think that the disciples should be secure with His Presence alone, whether He was awake or asleep. I believe He wants all of us to practice His Presence in every stormy situation. If it seems like He is sleeping in our boat, there’s no better way to wake Him than with words of faith. 

It’s better to have Jesus sleeping next to us, than to be alone in a storm, because our hope, faith and confidence is grounded in “Who” is with us, more than “what” is against us. 

The next verse of scripture is very exciting. When the wind and the waves suddenly become calm at the sound of His voice, the disciples asked “What kind of man is this, that the wind and the waves obey Him?” 

I love that question…..What kind of man is this? He is the Lord, the Son of God, the Almighty, incarnated in a human body, that’s what kind of man Jesus is. There is no one else like Him, and we praise Him for being in our boat with us. 

Every force of nature is under His control, because He is the most High God, so when He speaks to nature, in any form, whether it’s directed to the function of our bodies, or to the wind, fire, gravity or the splitting of an atom, His words must be obeyed. Since He has verbal control over all the laws of science and nature, we have nothing to fear.

I can visualize Jesus standing up in that shaky boat, as the picture attached shows, surrounded by wind and waves, then raising one hand toward the heavens, as He speaks a single phrase, rebuking the storm. Within His voice is power and authority, and a great calm suddenly comes over all.

In Mark’s gospel of this same scene, the phrase He spoke is “Peace, be still” and everything became calm. Whatever storm we go through today, Jesus is in the boat with us,  even if He seems to be asleep. He is the Lord over all the natural forces and functions that affect us. He is the Lord who speaks to heal our bodies, our minds, and His words tear down strongholds in spiritual places. When He says “peace” there has to be peace.  All He asks of us, is our faith and trust that His Presence is in the boat with us. 

Lord, we trust you to speak to each of our storms today, and bring your perfect peace, calmness and healing to our body, mind, soul and spirit. Amen

“And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing.”

Ezekiel 34:26 (RSV)

As I think about those small graces that God sends us during times of adversity, it’s like a small shower of blessing that comes down in its appointed season. I received a few of these small showers this week. 

Looking back two weeks ago, at the blessing of a totally surprise  retirement party, which I enjoyed, I mentioned that I missed not seeing three surgeons who I worked with for the past twenty five years, who were out of town at the time of the party, and couldn’t attend.  

I will always cherish the memory, but I remember thinking that it would have been an even more perfect celebration if those other three surgeons could have been there. 

Earlier this week I offered to help a friend by taking her to a doctor appointment in the office building attached to the hospital, where I used to work. I prayed my favorite daily prayer, before leaving the house, which is to ask for God’s perfect timing in all things. When we arrived, at first we couldn’t find a parking space in any handicapped spots. As I was about to head for the main front door to drop her off, we passed a newly opened space very close to the door. 

After her appointment, I was pushing her wheelchair toward the elevator, and as the door opened, there stood one of the surgeons who couldn’t make it to my retirement party. We happily greeted each other with a big hug inside the elevator. 

That moment brought extra closure to all my years of work, being able to say goodbye to someone who I enjoyed working alongside all those years. It was no coincidence that he was in that elevator at that moment, at that specific time on that specific day, because I asked for God’s perfect timing.  Finding a parking space close to a door for my handicapped friend was another grace of God’s perfect timing. 

Showers of blessing and perfect timing doesn’t mean everything always goes our way with steadfast perfection. It means a shower of blessing comes at the right time and place and brings us a brief time of refreshing, just when it’s needed most, often after a period of sweat and toil. 

Sometimes these showers came through a kind stranger on the phone, who offered extra help or an explanation, to help me work through a new task. The past few weeks have been overwhelming, filling out forms and learning new things from attorneys regarding legal guardianship. Two other relatives and I cleared out the residence where my son rented, since he is not returning there and the landlord needs to rent it out. 

These are mentally and emotionally exhausting tasks, but God sent some of the kindest and most helpful people along the way, who were a shower of blessing to me. When it seems that we have been running non stop, toiling in some area, and overwhelmed with responsibility, that is precisely when we are due for a shower. 

God knows the perfect time and season, so let’s keep our eyes open for a subtle shower of kindness, in which He usually uses other people. We are never forgotten, and the Lord is attentive to every detail that concerns us. A shower of blessing is headed our way, in the perfect time and season that He selects for each of us. 

Lord, thank you for being with us in every new task and responsibility we have. You send us showers of blessing according to your perfect time and season. Jesus, we trust in you and believe we can do all things through you. Amen