Psalm 94:18-19
When I felt my feet slipping, you
came with your love and kept me steady. And when I was burdened with
worries, you comforted me and made me feel secure.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today,
our friends’ newborn baby is having open heart surgery. Doctors have
told them since mid-pregnancy that such a procedure would be necessary.
Still, the thought of such an intricate operation on a 7-day-old baby
makes anyone stop and take a deep breath. The surgery is expected to
take eight hours…and a 2-to-3-month hospitalization will be required
afterward. Most of us are inadequately grateful for the health of our
children. When I hear of the challenges that face families like this
one, I stop and thank God that all of our little ones are so incredibly well.
When
Timothy was two, he awoke one morning wheezing so loudly that we could
hear him all over the house. Greg and I rushed him to our ER, where the
staff went to work to determine the problem. When a nurse put a blood
pressure cuff on Timothy, he went ballistic…and by the time the
Respiratory Therapist put a mask on his face to administer a breathing
treatment, our little guy was in all-out hysteria. An x-ray was
ordered, and Timothy would not stop screaming or clinging to me long
enough for the image to be made.
In total frustration, the x-ray
technician ordered Greg and me to leave the room. I refused, but a kind
nurse friend appeared and assured me that she would stay with
Timothy…that he would be fine, and the x-ray wouldn’t take long. As Greg
and I stood in the hallway outside listening to our little one scream, I
cried in helplessness. Greg assured me that Timothy would be fine (and
I’m sure he silently prayed that this was the truth!)…and he was
right. Antihistamines and an inhaler were ordered for what was
apparently an allergic reaction to grass and leaves…and we were back at
home later that morning.
This was one of the most helpless
moments of my life…knowing that I HAD to leave this child…and yet not
knowing how in the world I could possibly do such a thing. I have also
felt this way as I watched a loved one slip from this world… and in
times when circumstances such as a natural disaster or a “world event”
like 9-11 caused pain and destruction that I could not fathom – nor
control.
Every time I have “felt my feet slipping,” God has
steadied me. More times than I can count, He has shielded me from more
grief and heartache than I could otherwise bear…calmed my fears…and
given me an uncanny sense of peace in the midst of the “storm.” I have
also seen Him do this time after time for others. And I know that He
will do the same for you, as well.
I am praying for my friends
today who had to endure the heartwrenching “see-you-later” as their
precious baby was wheeled away on a “giraffe gurney” for heart surgery.
I am praying for those who have had to say “Good-bye” to a loved
one…and those who have had to leave their precious “babies” at college
in recent days. I am praying for the people of Louisiana who have lost
everything in the floods and wonder how they will make it through
another day…and those in war-torn countries who wonder whether they will
(literally) survive the next few hours.
I am praying for all
who are suffering, sick, frightened, in despair, and broken-hearted. I
believe that God can come to them with love, and steady them…that He can
surround them with a “force field” of peace - and protection from
unbearable pain and heartache. I KNOW that He can make a way out of
their darkness and set them back on their feet, no matter what their
present circumstances. And I know that He will do this for you, as
well.
My prayer today is that you know this peace…that God is at
work in your heart and mind. I pray that He is giving you everything
you need for this day, and filling you with hope for tomorrow. If your
feet are slipping, God can steady you and give you confidence and calm.
I thank God for His incredible power, grace, mercy and compassion. I
pray that He shields you this day…and that you always feel His presence.
©2016 Debbie Robus
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