3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.
Men know what a come along is – it is a hand operated winch with a ratchet used to pull objects. It lightens the load.
We women need a come along at times too.
Many come alongs
I knew but failed to do anything.
My friend shared in church her gratitude for prayers, cards, and phone calls during the recent loss of her brother. I said a prayer for her but failed to send a card or telephone. Not even a text! It is not like I am so busy – my grandson would say – “you are retired Nana!”
Why do we stay so busy that we don’t do the important?
When my husband had shoulder surgery – he received many cards and phone calls from family and friends. Facebook was a great source to notify many both near and far.
The day of surgery I texted family and all those I could think of to let them know surgery went well. Many don’t like the group texts so I tried to text each individually. Most responded back that day and the next day to see how he was doing.
Great come alongs
But by the third day there were no calls, no texts. I was exhausted from not sleeping well for three nights and weary from my home nurse duties – making sure the meds were taken on time, he was doing the exercises and preparing meals, along with my regular household chores.
It was Saturday morning and the phone rang. Robyn asked “How is John?” I told her and she assured me, “We are praying for him!” A brief conversation – but it meant the world to me. Someone does still care. She was volunteering at a church ball game serving food – but she took the time to call and express her concern.
It doesn’t take a great deal of effort – just a few minutes to share in someone’s world. Lord please help me to be a Robyn – she also sent a card!
Two of my favorite come alongs.
Please join me in being an encourager – a come along. A handwritten card is great – but if you are not able to do that, at least call, send a text or message someone on Facebook. I know how an unexpected call or text can be just what someone needs to lighten their load.
Greeting a young couple in church I spoke to their baby girl and she smiled. I asked her name. It was Cameron. I could remember her name because my grandson has the same name.
Eli’s daughter-in-law named her son Ichabod. Can you imagine naming your child Ichabod???
The ark of God was captured by the Philistines, her husband and father-in-law were dead, and she was dying from childbirth. Ichabod meant “The glory of God has departed from Israel.”
My verse for 2018 was Psalms 115:1 “Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your great love and faithfulness.”
This is how the Lord impressed me to select the verse.
Home at last – after two days in the hospital. My husband was feeling good and recovering from back surgery. After spending three weeks in a wheel chair – it was so wonderful to see him walking without pain.
We were thankful to be home just before a snow storm hit our area.
Then the power went out the next day.
No electricity means no water when you have a well. Our son came over to start the generator (that hadn’t been used for several years). He showed me how to start it and put gas in it. This also involved deciphering which switch to turn off in the fuse box, so it did not pull too much power.
Finally finding the formula for water heater and running the water pump we offered neighbors a place to take a shower. My grandson was in the shower when I was experimenting with the fuses and after he got lathered up good – I pulled the wrong switch and oops, no water. I quickly switched the water back on.
We were fortunate to have a gas cooktop and space heater to keep warm. And plenty of oil lamps, candles and flashlights decorated my kitchen counter.
After almost a month caring for my husband who could not walk and then two days of many trips downstairs and outside to restart the generator, heating water to wash dishes, and may I remind you – my husband was recuperating from surgery and on pain meds. He insisted he was going downstairs to work on the generator.
I was exhausted.
John’s back seemed to be swollen and bruised below the incision. John went to bed. The generator quit.
I did not want to go outside again so decided to sit down to read. I asked the Lord for a rhema – a specific word from him to encourage me. My strength was gone. I felt like Eli’s daughter-in-law – the glory of the Lord had departed. But I was not delivering a baby!!
I read Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are safe.”
The name of the Lord – when I think of the name of the Lord – it is Jesus – I claimed the name of the Lord – and I felt a surge of the Holy Spirit over me to confirm that He is in control and John was going to be ok.
Then my phone rang, and it was our son telling me that the power was on.
Wow, Lord, maybe if I had sought you this earnestly the power would have come on sooner!
I ran downstairs and turned the generator switch back to our electric company and called my neighbor to ask about turning switches back on. Turned them all on and yes! power. I had to run around the house turning off lights that were turned on during power failure.
That night John got up by himself for bathroom – next morning his back looked good.
We don’t have to worry about someone taking the ark of God from us. He is always with us and willing to share his great love and faithfulness. When we run out of our strength – he takes over.
Yes, my husband John was able to walk the next morning after back surgery. He was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks prior to surgery. The PT lady in the hospital was amazed how well he walked and the doctor released him that day. Wow, back surgery and only one night in the hospital. Praise God!
Pastor – “God is Good!” – response People – “All the Time!”
Pastor – “All the Time!” – response People – “God is Good!”
Our church service begins with this ritual.
Many times, I think – All the Time?
When a loved one dies?
When the diagnosis is cancer?
When your spouse leaves?
When your child rebels?
When your husband has been in pain for ten days?
You get the picture – many times we don’t feel like God is Good – all the time.
Nothing was working out. No one returned my calls. It did not seem that God was good this Monday. No one seemed to care. I shouldn’t say that- family and friends kept in touch with me constantly– they cared. The prayer chain at church was active. The medical community was not responding.
I awoke with such optimism Monday morning – that someone would help – we would get an appointment that day for my husband. John was not able to stand without excruciating pain or walk for ten days. He had an MRI at the ER on Tuesday before Thanksgiving and was sent home with pain meds and prednisone. He had a herniated disk. Now, he was out of both medicines and pain not improved.
As the hours dragged on and no calls I was anxious, ok, I was depressed.
Finally, at 4pm I received a call from our local doctor’s office. I rushed to town to get the prescription. Then to the pharmacy to have it filled. It was then my cell phone rang – a neurosurgeon’s office – could we be there at 8:50 the next day? Yes, someone does care.
The next morning our son helped me get John in the car and loaded the wheelchair. We left our house at 6:30 am for the one and half hour trip over the mountain to Gainesville. It was a beautiful clear day the sun was shining and warm for late November. I drove around to the front door to let John out. Amazing, a handicapped parking place right in front. I don’t like to pray for a parking space – but God reserved one for me that day. After a few pulls and tugs I was able to get the wheelchair unloaded.
I rolled John in the office and before we got settled in for the wait (he was being worked in their schedule) he was called back to see the doctor. The doctor came in and showed me the MRI and X-ray and said his disk was completely pinched and he needed surgery as soon as possible. Everyone in the office seemed concerned and the doctor was concerned about his pain level – he scheduled surgery the next week.
They called the hospital to try to schedule preop for that day. No openings – Preop on Friday. Oh, no go over the mountain again in few days? John could not make that trip again. But Yeah surgery scheduled!
I got him in the car and then tackled the wheelchair. After several lifts a lady appeared and said, “Here, let me show you how to do that!”
We went to lunch. John said, “Why don’t we go by the hospital and see if they can work us in for preop today. Sure, enough someone else cared and after an hour nap in the waiting room they put him through preop procedure.
God was certainly good that Tuesday. On the drive home, I recounted all the blessings – Praise the Lord for a safe trip, beautiful sunny day, parking place right in front of office, surgery scheduled, a lady to lift wheelchair and preop done.
But was God good on Monday when I was so despondent and distraught? Sure, he was – he gave me the strength to keep pressing on. Even though I didn’t feel like he was good, he was working all the time.
Seeing the goodness of God on Tuesday helped me get through the next week before John’s surgery as his pain increased even with strong medication.
Where are you today? Do you feel that God is Good all the time? My experience is miniscule compared to my friend who lost her husband or another friend facing cancer or someone whose spouse leaves. But I know God can meet you even in those times.
There are many scriptures to encourage us that God is Good and that He works for our good. Here are a few from New International Version (NIV):
Psalm 73:1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Psalm 121 A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
This song by Casting Crowns – speaks to our times of doubting that God is Good all the time!
