Scattered thoughts of Miracles and Love

Some of you have heard about my youngest brother, who crashed his bicycle and broke his skull. He had his final follow-up appointment this past week and this is what the doctor said: "You know, we're all just kind of nonchalant about it, but you are a miracle." *Wow* We have been saying that, but to hear it from the doctor's own mouth is amazing! When he first went into the ICU all of the medical personnel were telling us, this will be a long road, we don't know how much brain damage he sustained. And the doctor was saying, I've seen a lot of these cases with young guys, in six months he should be up and around, maybe a slight limp, almost back to normal! (Us: *choke!!!* Six Months!!!!)
It has been a mere Three and One-Half months since his accident and we have been seeing God do miracles the whole way through! Praise His Holy Name!!!!!!!

I read Psalm 136 earlier this past week and I understood it in a different way than I have before. The latter half of every verse say, "for His mercy endures forever." As I was reading through it I started to realize that every verse is saying, "God did this. Why? Because His mercy towards us is forever!" Twenty-two times in a row, twenty-two different things that God has done, and what is the reason? Simply because His mercy is boundless, unmatchable,infinite, unexplainable, immeasurable, and unending! That's just Who my Daddy Is! I heard a new term for Him recently, and after pondering it, I like it. He has, Scandalous Love!!! That He would love me, that much.

As we are all rejoicing here I can't help but also remember the long, hard, days and night along the way to get here. There was a lot of heart-pain involved, especially while we were waiting for him to wake up...we didn't know if he ever would; or if he did, would his mind be functioning; if it was, how much? It is not exactly fun to remember those days, but they were good days. Days of learning to trust, to say yes, to rest peacefully knowing that God was doing whatever was going to bring Him the most Glory, and whatever was the very best for each one of us.

Something a missionary from India, to Tibet and India, said at one time when he was here in the States speaking has served as a bit of a rebuke to me:

"America is already a Christian nation. But although America has many sincere Christians, the majority of the people here have no religion. Here, where it is easy to have religion, where religion is offered on every side, and no one is persecuted for being a Christian, life should be happy and peaceful because of Christianity. But it is not. Instead, there is a hustle and bustle after money and comfort and pleasure, and that all clouds out thoughts of religion. Because it is so easy to have faith in this country, Americans do not appreciate what a comfort there is in religion. At one time the ostrich could fly, but because it did not ever use its wings, it lost its ability to do so. Just so, the people here who do not appreciate the religious faith of their fathers shall lose it."            - Sundar Singh

What this said to me is this: take more time to meditate. Go out and just enjoy being alone together with God. Not thinking my thoughts, dreaming my dreams, worrying my worries. No, enjoy Him, Who He Is!

Jesus Himself

Faint with the heat and the length of the road; 
I was oppressed with a wearisome load;
One came, so tenderly saying to me:
"Give Me thy load, 'tis too heavy for thee"

Jesus Himself,
Jesus Himself!

I was so poor, not a penny had I,
Clothing, or food for the journey to buy;
One came and whispered; "Leave that to My care;
Wealth of a kingdom with thee will I share."

Jesus Himself,
Jesus Himself!

I was so lonely for lack of a friend,
One came and offered me love without end.
Love that is mighty to strengthen and save,
Love that can triumph o'er death and the grave!

Jesus Himself,
Jesus Himself!

What tho the valleys be many and deep, 
What if the pathway be stony or steep;
Mountain or moorland, or valley of death:
"I will be with thee", my Comforter saith.

Jesus Himself,
Jesus Himself!