Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to be
“everywhere” at the same time, and no matter which way you turned it just
didn’t cover the ground you needed to for that time period?
Our focus was divided with several “storms” brewing in
our lives. Storms of the century flooded
the entire city and pounded the streets for days. Several other storms were
personal and the pending surgery of my husband was on the top of the list. All needed our immediate attention, but
physically and emotionally it was weighing heavily on us.
Welcome new friends this week from:
See if your city/state/country made the list.
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Zambia.
USA
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WI; Carol Stream & Plano, IL; Avon
Lake, Canal Winchester & Sylvania, OH; Collierville, Knoxville & Washburn,
TN; Adamsville & Montgomery, AL; Bradenton, Mims, Miramar, Poinciana &
Vero Beach, FL; Mounds View, MN.
I am so thankful for your visit and hope that you come
back each week to participate in the weekly challenges. Join us in our new series as we spend time in
the study of Daily Favor Prayers.
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the bottom of this week’s post.
Don't miss out on this week's challenge
(below).
The Prayers of the Saints
It had been over two months since my husband began
bleeding from kidney stones. Twice
surgery had been scheduled and canceled due to heart issues. Something had to be done and with a go flag
waved from his cardiologist, hubby was put on the docket for the operation only
this time the procedure would be done with shock waves (lithotripsy).
We arrived at the hospital at 10:30 a.m. for the
scheduled surgery of 12 p.m. After the
usual checking in routine, bloodwork and x-rays the staff escorted us to the
surgery center.
The operation was pushed
back. At 1:25 p.m. they took him into
surgery. As they were wheeling him out
the bed hit the wall in the hall. Laughing
he said to the man in the adjacent room, “You
saw that right? You're a witness. I’ll have my
lawyer give you a call.”
Looking over his right shoulder he held his hand up in
the air to me signing “I love you.” Taking him through the double doors he was on
his way. By 1:50 p.m. a nurse came to
tell me that they had just put hubby under and he was ready for the procedure. The prayers of the Saints were implemented as
the Holy Spirit led the staff in the operating room.
Behind Glass Doors
Watching the surgical nurses from behind a glass sliding
door, I paced the floor of the small room in which I impatiently waited for my
husband to return. Hoping to take my
attention off what was happening I decided to sit down and pulled out the file
of work that needed to be done.
I tried writing and thumbed through several articles that
needed editing. When that wasn’t
happening I tried working on a book review I was doing, all to no avail. Finally I walked across the room and turned
on the television set thinking there would be something on that could distract
my thoughts for the next few hours.
Before my husband left he was watching the Hallmark
Channel, but it wasn’t playing movies but western television shows. Not noticing what was on the set I went back
to my chair and once again pulled out my articles.
The Battle of Nerves
As I was editing my work, the introduction music for a western
was playing in the background, when the announcer gave the title of the program
that was next in line to air. It was
called “Death Valley Days”.
Not being familiar with it, the first thing I wanted to
do was change the channel. I’m not a big fan of westerns even though my parents
were; nor did I want to see shoot ‘em up scenes while fighting my own battle of
nerves. Besides, who wants to watch
something called “Death Valley” while waiting for someone to come through
surgery? Not me.
Preparing to turn off the television set the conversation
got my attention, especially when one of the characters started talking about
seed and creation. This surely wasn’t
something that would be in a dialog in today’s scripts, unless it happened to
be a Christian topic.
It Started with a Seed
I was intrigued and sat down to listen to where the
actors were going with this talk about “seeds” planted before man existed.
He began sharing with his riding buddy how
God had already planned for us before we were ever “seeds” for His Kingdom.
His conversation walked his friend through the Garden of
Eden as described in the book of Genesis of the Bible (chapters 1-3), and how
God had planted it long before He ever created Adam and Eve. The point he was
trying to convey to his companion was that those seeds of favor for provision
were also meant for us before we were born. (Jeremiah 1:5)
You see, every tree, plant and thing came from a seed. Even Jesus would become a seed for mankind. The plan of Jehovah-Jireh was to provide a way
for us to come back to Him through the gift of salvation.
God provides the seed, we plant (and water) it, but He
produces the harvest in due season. If
we don’t do our part, He is not obligated to do His.
Back to the story; it was about a young scientist from
England who was on a mission. For his
entire adult life the botanist was in pursuit of a tree that he never saw in
person, but had a pine cone from one through his research.
His desire was to see the tree that once was a seed which
produced pine cones like the one he held in his hand. He said that there is so much for us to learn
about where seeds come from and if God thought it was important, so did
he. It was his desire to tell the world
about what he had discovered concerning the provision God had put in motion
before the first human set foot on the earth.
America Is No Eden
As the two men gazed over the beautiful landscape they
were about to embark upon, Josh, his hiking companion asked,
“You know Davy, I was just wondering. That uh, Garden of
Eden … where do you suppose it was?”
Looking around at the wonder of great outdoors the journeyman
replied,
“It could have been right here Josh ... the Garden of
Eden could have been right here!”
Finally realizing his dream to find that certain “seed
tree”, the botanist expressed,
“I wish I had the time. I’d climb this tree and examine
every inch of it.”
In reply, his sidekick along for the journey proclaimed,
“After what you’ve been through, they aught to name it
after you.”
Flattered by his friend’s announcement, David turned and
looked at his buddy responding, “Well now,
I’d be honored.”
Of course history records that the Garden of Eden wasn’t
in America, although it’s a grand thought.
However the “seed” part about God making provision long before we would
need it was correct. Here’s what I mean.
Never Comfortless
It is written in the Holy Bible that Abraham was a man
who experienced the favor of God on his life. He called on Jehovah-Jireh as the
God who would provide what he needed whatever the circumstance. As the seed of Abraham through Christ Jesus,
we can call on Jehovah to do the same for us, and that’s what I did through
prayer. The favor and blessings God
promised him are ours as well. (Romans 11:17)
Another way God meets our needs other than
materialistically is emotionally. Although
it looked like I was holding it altogether, in reality I needed emotional
support and hugs of hope wrapped around me for strength.
In prayer I had shared my feelings and “fears” with my
Savior.
“Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and
not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2 NKJV)
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2 NKJV)
Jehovah-Jireh promised in His Word that He would never
leave me (Hebrews 13:5) and would provide comfort in times of need. (John
14:18)
Normally I would have already been in the surgery waiting
room, but had asked if it was alright if I could remain in the prep room
because I would be waiting alone. God
caused the staff to grant me unusual favor in remaining with my husband, and
where he would return after being in the recovery room following surgery.
They were about to take my husband into surgery when I
noticed a woman wheeling a man into the out-patient surgical wing across the
hall. It was a former neighbor of ours we
met twelve years ago that volunteers two days a week at the hospital. I had hoped to see her, but she had no idea
we were there.
Calling out to Marcy she turned around and asked what I
was doing there. Pointing to the room where
my husband was lying, she walked over and said with a grin, “You again.”
She was well aware of how many times we have been in the
hospital over the past two years, and every time I needed her to boost my faith
God provided Marcy to speak words of encouragement into the situation. Without a second thought she placed her hands
on my husband’s arm (making sure not to disturb the I.V.) reminding God of His
promises in Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2: 24 by quoting “By His stripes you are healed and made whole.”
While visiting with us Marcy explained that she and her
husband had called on us at home the day before, but we didn’t hear her over
the shop-vac in the garage. God honored
her kindness for checking on us, even though she didn’t receive an answer until
the following day.
Receiving my hug she left, comforting us with words of
affirmation and agreement in prayer.
Before we were ever born God knew that this time we would need
ministering to and not the other way around.
He placed Marcy, my husband and I in areas that we wouldn’t have
ordinarily been in, yet we were.
Look Up
It was 3:28 p.m. when I resumed my strut around the
hospital room. Peeking out the door I
scanned the area looking to see if my husband was in the recovery area. My heart was full of joy when there he was in
a room to my left. He was still sedated
but his hands were moving up and down.
Quickly two nurses curtailed his flailing arms and he became calm.
“Look to your right … look up … look up!” I quietly said hoping that he would see me standing just a few feet from
him. You see, this is an ongoing effort
on my part.
My husband has a habit of not looking up when he’s mowing
the lawn or concentrating on something.
I’ll be waving and calling out to him but he doesn’t see or hear me, so
in order to get his attention I have to literally stand in front of him.
Suddenly he began to wave. “He’s
awake! Praise God, he’s awake.” I
thought as my prayers were being answered one by one.
Friends in Need
Three minutes later I was back to waiting by myself, when
to my surprise a cardio rehab buddy of my husband and his precious wife were
out in the corridor talking to the nurses.
They came into the room and more hugs were received with open arms.
When Don asked me where my husband was I pointed to the
recovery room. He leaned over and made
eye contact with him. “I guess he’s okay.” Don said after
hubby stuck out his tongue at him in jest.
A minute later the post operation room doors were closed.
Apparently our little interlude was a no-no and they quickly put it to an end. It didn’t matter, because by 3:45 p.m. they
had enough of his wisecracks and with smiling faces they brought him back to
the room. No worries, they hit the wall again on his return!
Jehovah-Jireh Provided You
Throughout the past few years God has also provided for
us in another manner, and that is through you … our readers. There have been times when the words of faith
from you have encouraged us so much that our hope has been renewed. Your love and support is such a blessing.
Provision comes in many forms, but they all started from
a seed being planted along the way. Sometimes financial, healing or material
needs are provided for, and every now and then a need is met through people simply
loving people.
Need Supplies? Plant Seeds.
So what is your need today? What things are you praying for from
Jehovah-Jireh the God who provides? If
you have a need, it’s time to sow a seed.
There has never been a time that God has not shown us
favor in sending people or positioned us in the right place to receive from
Him. The Apostle Paul wanted fellow
believers to know that God would supply all our needs. He wasn’t only referring to financial needs,
but meant physical, emotional, spiritual and environmental necessities as well as
anything else you can think of for that matter. However, we have to do
something first … sow seeds for the harvest to meet the need.
“…And my God shall supply all your need
according to His
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians
4:19 NKJV)
When Paul made this statement it came as a
result of the seeds they had sown that pleased God. Most people miss that part and only want the
favor of God without sowing into His Kingdom.
It doesn’t work that way.
Now read the complete statement Paul wrote in
the correct context.
“Indeed I have all and abound. I am full,
having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a
sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And
my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus.” (Philippians 4:18-19 NKJV)
The first seed is planted through prayer;
seeds of fellowship and friendship with the Lord. Jehovah-Jireh provides for needs when we care
about His seeds, whether it relates to the ground itself, animals or people. To
the Lord, they are all precious in His sight, but only His friends and family
are highly favored. Do you fall into that
category?
This Week’s Challenge:
Seeds of Friendship
It’s spring in the States; a time when people plant seeds
for a blessed harvest in fruits and vegetables. Maybe in your part of the world it’s fall or
winter and the regular planting season has come to an end for you this
year. That may be so, but to tell you
the truth, every season is a great time to plant seeds of friendship for the
future.
David Douglas learned the power of seeds and how
important they were in changing the world around him. Just as seeds are the key to growing plants
of any nature, seeds of friendship are vital for growing the Kingdom of God.
Our challenge this week is to look up and see where God
would have us plant new seeds of friendship in our community.
First - sow fresh seeds of friendship with the Lord
through fellowship in prayer.
Second - let God direct you through the Holy Spirit to
the person in which He would have you develop a friendship with by showing genuine
concern and kindness toward them.
Every time we have moved we made it a priority to meet
our neighbors and merchants in the area.
There’s a reason for that.
By showing ourselves to be friendly in any situation, God
the Provider has brought wonderful people into our lives that will agree with
us in prayer or helped us in whatever we needed at that given time. Sowing seeds of friendship brings in a
harvest that money cannot buy, especially when you’re in the hospital all alone
waiting for a loved one to come through surgery.
If you’re in need of God’s provision, Jehovah-Jireh is
the provider of favor. He is the only One who can provide the exact thing for
the situation. He will comfort,
encourage, inspire, while bringing hope into a circumstance through His
unfailing love and grace (unmerited favor) for the journey.
FYI Tidbit
After doing some research, I learned that the program Death
Valley Days aired 452 episodes about true stories of the old American west,
particularly the Death Valley area in California and Nevada.
As his friend Josh Tavers had spoken, England named the tree
after the Scottish- American botanist David Douglas in recognition of his
contributions to the science of botany. We know it today as the Douglas Fir Tree.
If this article has encouraged or helped you, please
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post.
Until next time, Jehovah-Jireh the God
who provides favor!
“I Am the provider of
favor.”
Jesus Christ
*Unless
noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy.
Note: Emphasis
is given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take
away from the inspirited Word of God.
When used,
the words satan or devil are not capitalized deliberately, because we give him
no place in our lives.
Disclaimer:
Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical
issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness.
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