I think that's the problem with most of us. We are often very quick to forget His Word. This time, God wasn't about to let that happen. When I was preaching my heart out in Portuguese on John 11 on Sunday night in Brazil, I would have never dreamed what He had in mind to burn those truths into my heart on Monday night back in Humble, TX.
Before leaving the US, I had in mind a message to preach to Congregacao Batista da Ressurecao when given the opportunity, but during my morning time alone with God on Wednesday, the Spirit made it very clear that He wanted me to share from John 11, the story of Lazarus's resurrection from the dead. As He opened the eyes of my heart to the profound truths in this well known Bible story, I savored each morsel He laid out for me on His banquet table and looked forward to encouraging His people.
When the time came to preach in Portuguese again, as always, I wondered if the words would come. Carried on the prayers of His people, they did come and I humbly realized that the Holy Spirit was declaring His Word through His privileged servant. Considering the distress Mary and Martha were going through with the grave sickness of their beloved brother, Lazarus, God wanted us to remember that, no matter what we are going through, He loves us. All the time. He loves us so much that He weeps with us when we weep. He also made very clear that His timing is perfect and that the reason He often waits to answer our prayers is because He loves us and wants to work out the bigger plan.
John 11:3-4 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
When the final words were spoken, I thought the sermon was over, but it had only just begun.
A few hours later, we started our journey back across the ocean which was pretty uneventful save for the fact that we departed at 3:15 am and had a 3 hour layover in Panama. Back in the US, it was time for a late lunch and my Chickfila salad was delicious but didn't really sit well. I thought that my stomach was just readjusting but the pain got worse through the afternoon.
As the pain intensified, so did my prayers. "Why Lord? Can't this just pass so I can get some sleep? Oh God, help me." When my prayers for relief were met with the awkward silence that means "just hold on and trust Me" we knew I needed to see a Dr, so a friend came over to stay with the kids and we headed to the ER around 1 AM. In extreme pain, Danyel drove me through the silent night and at the hospital, pain medicine came quickly so I was feeling sane again. It was quickly determined that I had appendicitis and needed to have my appendix removed. My care has been guided by His loving hands and we have taken many opportunities to listen to the stories of our caregivers and to testify to God's grace in our own lives. The Body of Christ has been at my bedside laying on hands in prayer and laughing with us at the crazy experiences that come with pain meds and anesthesia.
Over and over again I have thanked God that none of this happened in Brazil or especially on the plane, allowing us to be in more comfortable surroundings with the people we love to help care for us. This all could have gone very differently, and appendixes are removed everyday in Brazil, too, but I am so grateful that He chose to let all of this unfold as it did.
"This sickness is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
Thanks so much for joining us along the journey in prayer.
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