October 30: Faith
"Faith must be tried before the reality of faith is actual." What does that mean? Let me tell you a story....
When Jennifer was three, she developed a terrible pain in the back of her neck. My first thought was a gut-clenching one... meningitis! But then I remembered that she had received the HiB vaccination that was supposed to prevent that, so I chose not to worry, even when she began to throw up violently. There were two problems with my rationalization. The first was that I didn't realize that the vaccination only worked against bacterial meningitis, not viral. Secondly, it was only six weeks since I had delivered Jana, and I didn't realize that post-partum women don't rationalize anything too well.
More than a day had passed before I finally realize that my little girl was desperately sick. When the doctor made that dreaded diagnosis - viral meningitis - I was paralyzed with fear because a little boy the same age had died from this very thing only a month before. As we loaded her into the car to rush her to the hospital, a silent plea shouted repeatedly in my head, "Oh, Jesus! Please don't let her die!!"
Suddenly, that still, small Voice spoke, stilling the panicky clamor. "Do you remember that you gave her to Me before she was born? Do you remember that you asked Me to do whatever it took to make sure that she got to heaven, even if that meant she would have to die while still a child? Give her to Me, now!"
Ice water seemed to flow through my veins as I remembered my promise. Believing that letting her go would mean her certain death, I made the hardest choice of my life. By faith, I let her go and gave her to God. Instantly, a warm peace flooded me, and by the time we reached the hospital I was able to comfort other relatives there, even though I was still convinced that she would die.
Fortunately, God had other plans for her and she recovered. But the mighty lesson of faith still remains. It has never again been as hard to trust Jesus as it was on that day because I now know that, as Chambers says, "to turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight ALWAYS," but that Jesus can ALWAYS be trusted!!
Dear Jesus, I pray that the children of my heart will be prepared to give the most valuable things in their lives over to You when their crisis of faith comes. Although Satan will assail them with fears that shake their cores, give them the strength to step out over the cliff of Faith, trusting that You will be there to catch them when they fall.
When Jennifer was three, she developed a terrible pain in the back of her neck. My first thought was a gut-clenching one... meningitis! But then I remembered that she had received the HiB vaccination that was supposed to prevent that, so I chose not to worry, even when she began to throw up violently. There were two problems with my rationalization. The first was that I didn't realize that the vaccination only worked against bacterial meningitis, not viral. Secondly, it was only six weeks since I had delivered Jana, and I didn't realize that post-partum women don't rationalize anything too well.
More than a day had passed before I finally realize that my little girl was desperately sick. When the doctor made that dreaded diagnosis - viral meningitis - I was paralyzed with fear because a little boy the same age had died from this very thing only a month before. As we loaded her into the car to rush her to the hospital, a silent plea shouted repeatedly in my head, "Oh, Jesus! Please don't let her die!!"
Suddenly, that still, small Voice spoke, stilling the panicky clamor. "Do you remember that you gave her to Me before she was born? Do you remember that you asked Me to do whatever it took to make sure that she got to heaven, even if that meant she would have to die while still a child? Give her to Me, now!"
Ice water seemed to flow through my veins as I remembered my promise. Believing that letting her go would mean her certain death, I made the hardest choice of my life. By faith, I let her go and gave her to God. Instantly, a warm peace flooded me, and by the time we reached the hospital I was able to comfort other relatives there, even though I was still convinced that she would die.
Fortunately, God had other plans for her and she recovered. But the mighty lesson of faith still remains. It has never again been as hard to trust Jesus as it was on that day because I now know that, as Chambers says, "to turn head faith into a personal possession is a fight ALWAYS," but that Jesus can ALWAYS be trusted!!
Dear Jesus, I pray that the children of my heart will be prepared to give the most valuable things in their lives over to You when their crisis of faith comes. Although Satan will assail them with fears that shake their cores, give them the strength to step out over the cliff of Faith, trusting that You will be there to catch them when they fall.
posted by Jane at 5:50 AM
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