"I am counting on the LORD; yes, I am counting on Him, I have put my hope in His word." – Psalm 130:5
Reflection:
Recently, I found myself wandering through a deep and rather dark valley. I had taken my eyes off the Guide, letting worry, stress and, yes, despair take over me.
You see, our son, Jonathan, was being rushed by ambulance with a large and rare blood clot near his right kidney. The ER doctor told me solemnly that the kidney "is lost" due to lack of blood flow. Now, Jonathan is a young man, has his whole life ahead of him, a talented artist and a caring friend to all who know him. And best friend to his twin sister, Janie.
I knelt to pray, sobbing my prayer, my face pressed into a pillow. I pleaded with God to help dear Jon. It was then that I realized I could not see the mountaintop for the depth of the valley all around me.
But wait. I knew from childhood, and from all the years of my life, that Jesus, our King, Savior and Lord, could be counted on, right? He would lead me through this sadness, this testing and this thorny path.
Still, I was floundering in a valley of black despair, becoming more frightened by the moment.
Then, I began to pray differently. I gave thanks for the healing I believed God was going to give Jonathan. I thanked God for the way things would be, not the way things were. And I yielded to the comforting hand of my Lord, the Guide and Director of my life, and followed Him up, up...through the snarls and thorns, the loose rocks, the imposing boulders, all the way to the top of the looming mountain. There, I stood and turned to look down at all the stages of testing, the setbacks, the scares along the way. And I could see that the miracle had come, inch by inch, thanks to God.
Jonathan's right kidney is functioning normally now, the blood clot on the decline, after thousands of prayers on his behalf all over the world and a blood thinner medication. There were angels coming in and out of his hospital room...angels with earthly names and faces, with encouraging words and thoughtful deeds.
This Easter, I am most thankful for the victory of the Resurrection. Those long-ago angels pushing away that massive stone away from Christ's tomb. The truth, and the power, of the Kingship of Jesus Christ. King of kings and Lord of lords, who can always be counted on, no matter how deep, dark and terrifying our valleys may be.
To those of you in the Wisconsin and southern Minnesota, I look forward to seeing you soon on my spring book tour for The Tinderbox. (You can find the schedule here.)
And to all of you, a blessed Easter, dear friends!
Beverly Lewis