A COMFORTABLE WORD

A COMFORTABLE WORD

Dear Friends,

I am sometimes reticent to email you, so aware of how inundated we all are with endless emails. And yet there are times when I feel compelled to share with you the “comfort with which I have been comforted”; believing that my comfort is never meant just for me. And so, at the risk of adding to your “junk mail” folder, I share this “comfortable word” with you, my friends.

The word actually came way back on Tuesday, Sept. 29 (see how long I have resisted sharing it?). I had been hospitalized the day before for this severe breast infection and was on strong antibiotics and pain meds. By Tuesday my blood pressure had dropped way down and I was quite ill (looking back I think most of my poor state was due to an intolerance of the pain meds). That night I felt so ill that I began to believe that I might die. I felt like my life was ebbing away. I couldn’t imagine that you could feel so “bad” and live. And I was all alone. What I wanted more than anything else was for someone to pray for me. I was desperate to reach the phone and call Andy or my sister to ask for prayer, but I was too ill. I considered calling the nurse to ask if there was anyone in the hospital who could come and pray over me. I was in anguish, and marveled that I was to end my days all alone in a hospital far from home.

And then the word came. Just a whisper in my heart. “There is someone here praying for you, my child. The Holy Spirit!” And all of a sudden I remembered that wonderful truth from Romans 8- “but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” Never before had that truth seemed so glorious! I was not alone after all! And best of all, the One praying knew exactly what was needed. And with that knowledge I found new courage to pray as well (somehow up to that point I had not been praying). And so, feebly at first, I called out in the darkness to Him who had been there all along. I rebuked the enemy in Jesus’ name; proclaimed to the “unseen watchers” that I belonged to the Father, had been purchased with the blood of Christ, and was sealed with the Holy Spirit. After that came peace. In my mind I saw the “crowd of witnesses” from Hebrews 12 and perceived them cheering me on; giving me the courage to resist the darkness.

And so, that room that had seemed so empty moments before was now “filled” with the presence of God and His beloved. And I now knew that for the child of God dying alone was never, ever possible!

I share this experience with you just in case you ever find yourself in such a place. And I, too, cheer you on to resist the darkness!

Right now, as a result of this illness I have had to have a biopsy of my breast. We will get the results on Monday. There is no longer a place for fear- He is interceding yet for me-and for you!!



Lovingly,

Linda