A couple of months ago, I mentioned I had a minor medical surgery to look forward to.
A funny thing happened on my way to healing. I didn’t heal, and it was not amusing.
In fact, I began this “I’m so glad to be back” Fred-log thirty-four days ago. (Two weeks after the surgery.) I had recorded several episodes which I thought to edit during my recovery.
Good idea, except I didn’t heal. After a series of complications, each one leading to and escalating to the next. I was in real confusion.
I can genuinely say this has been the most painful, bewildering, discouraging, and even fearful season in my life. This season has Added to the long strange trip much of my life has been.
However, I seem to finally to be healing; thank You, Jesus!
So indeed, I am back.
The extra hospital stay, and prayerfully the last during this trial did change the direction of this Fred-log started 34 days ago.
The last set of trouble put me into the hospital for another week, and for a couple days, I was not sure if I were not headed for our eternal home.
These unexpected and brutal symptoms made me think that I had overestimated the time I had left to fulfill this ministry.
During this week, a potent prayer practice took over much of my prayers.
In those, as mentioned earlier, painful, bewildering, discouraging, and at moments fearful times, I found myself with a laser focused, intense concentration on one thought alone - God’s providence.
If you have listened for a while, you have heard of God’s providential care by which he lead to this perfect place: exhorting Christians to a close commune with their Creator and Redeemer.
I am not sure where this laser focused prayer came from. I do not remember thinking about it, or planning it out.
I just began to find myself in sharp concentrated thankfulness and affirmation of God’s perfect, beautiful, merciful direction to this time of blessing.
Now, I am not sure I am endorsing that total concentration approach to critical situations. Still, I am advocating that the new emphasis I experienced is another profound reason to develop our daily reliance on prayer with our Creator, Savior, and Heavenly Father.
As we long for the knowledge of God and the abundant life He promises, which only comes through prayer, we find in the most troubling times, it is sincere prayer that we cling to for the peace and steadfast faith our souls need.
Why else would Jesus, Himself tell us?
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
Luke 18:1
My beloved brothers and sisters, learn the art of prayer. You will be forever blessed by it.
Thank you for listening, Glory to God!
