First off Lord, I want to thank You once again for bringing Your Healing Presence to Jonathan. So far today he’s been doing well, with no immediate symptoms to note. Please continue to keep him in Your Embrace, and watch over him.
Yesterday Father, while Jonathan and I were waiting for the doctor to see him I had a chance to finish my reading of the book of Exodus. I know the story well, but this time one particular passage very much spoke to me and I’d like to share my thoughts on it today if I may. The verses I’m describing come from Exodus 31:1-11:
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.””
Now Lord, in the overall story of Exodus this may not seem like an overly vital or interesting passage, but two fragments just jumped off the page for me and got me thinking:
“…I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills…”
“Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you…”
During many stressful times in my life Lord, I’ve had people tell me that “God doesn’t give us any more than we can handle.” These verses actually put that statement in perspective for me quite nicely.
While speaking to Moses on the Holy Mountain, You gave him the designs for a number of staggeringly complex and detailed constructions to complete. The specifications were exacting, and the project required significant craftsmanship, ability and skill for all those involved. You knew this of course, and therefore gave them the resources and skills they needed to complete the tasks You set for them.
You didn’t give them more than they could handle.
I think sometimes Father, we miss this very important point. If You give us a task to perform, You always make sure we have the tools, skills and resources we need to get it done. We still may struggle and have to put forth a lot of effort, but in the end You never leave us without what we need if it’s truly Your Will.
What a reassuring thought that is Lord. 🙂
Heavenly Father, thank You for bringing me these essential life-lessons through Your Word. I pray that in times of trial I remember that You are indeed by my side, and that You truly never give us more than we can handle. Amen.
First off Father, I want to thank You for the weekend. As we discussed Friday, Shannon and I both went into it sick and we ended up spending most of the weekend inside. I did manage to sneak out a couple hours on Saturday with Jonathan for a trip to Barnes & Noble, and made a quick grocery run on Sunday but other than that it was a quiet, reserved couple of days. Thankfully, Shannon and I seem to be on the upside of this bug, but it’s obviously going to take a few more days to completely clear out. Either way, although our weekend didn’t exactly go as we planned I did get to spend lots of quality time with my family. 🙂
And then, Monday happened.
We were actually doing unusually well for a Monday morning Father. Everyone got up on time, got things together and out the door on schedule, and we made it to the kids’ school with time to spare. About 10 minutes after dropping them off however, came the call…
With no warning, Jonathan had vomited on his way to class. ~sigh~
I dropped my things at the office, and made my way back to school to retrieve him. He’d been complaining about some headaches for the last week or so, but other than that this was the only symptom he presented with. Unfortunately, because he still has a VP shunt in place we have to look at those two particular symptoms very carefully as they can indicate problems with it’s operation. I picked him up, made a call, and off to the pediatrician we went.
The wait to be seen at the doctor’s office was typical for a Monday morning; a little over an hour. We sat waiting in the truck (the office lobby was full), me spending time reading in Exodus on my Nook Color (I’m really enjoying my new toy) while Jonathan quietly played a puzzle game on my phone. When we finally got in to see the doctor the appointment was short and to the point, and we were quickly sent next door to have some sinus x-rays done. Those too, went without issue and about an hour later we received a call from the doctor indicating that his sinuses looked perfectly clear, and that if his symptoms persisted we would need to have Jonathan evaluated by his neurologist.
So… No immediate answers; just more questions.
Each time we get a reminder of Jonathan’s unique medical needs Father, it’s a vibrant flashback to some very scary times. For the most part, we’ve slipped back into “normality” in regards to his health; sniffles are just sniffles, not a trip to the emergency room at 2AM. When situations like this come up though, we’re thrust back into the world of the unknown and the “what if” scenarios. It’s a place we know far too well, and pray often to avoid.
And yet Father, I know in my heart that You’re with him. And armed with that bit of Truth, those “what ifs” aren’t nearly as frightening as they once were.
I still worry of course. That’s my job as his father, and I love him dearly. You’ve entrusted him to our care, and I’ll do whatever is required of me to honor that assignment. However, knowing that all the while he’s in Your Loving Arms brings amazing peace to my spirit. Thank You for that confidence Lord.
Heavenly Father, please continue to watch over Jonathan and bring to him Your Healing Touch. I thank You for the comfort of Your Presence, and pray that all those in need of reassurance can also feel that peace. Through Your Love Father, “what ifs” can truly become Amens. Amen.
As is my usual practice Father, I’d like to start our chat this morning by thanking You for the weekend. While I spent the bulk of it at home caring for a sick child and trying to catch up on housework, any time I get to spend with my family is a Blessing and I do appreciate it. Please continue to provide Aidan with Your Healing so that he may feel even better today, and help all of us shake off the “drowsies” that always follow the shift into daylight savings time.
As You know Father, I’ve had a troubled heart as of late. I faithfully try to lay my burdens in Your Capable Hands, but as the broken and limited being I am, I’m certainly not always successful. Seeking inspiration this morning, You placed this in my path :
“Cast your burden on the Lord—and He will sustain you.” Psalm 55:22
Cast your troubles where you have cast your sins; you have cast your sins onto Jesus—cast your troubles there also! As soon as the trouble comes, quick, the first thing, tell it to your Father in heaven! Remember, that the longer you take telling your trouble to God—the more your peace will be impaired. The longer the frost lasts—the more likely the ponds will be frozen.
Oh! It is a happy way of smoothing sorrow, when we can cast our burden upon the Lord. Oh, you agitated Christians, do not dishonor your religion by always wearing a ‘frown of concern’. Come, cast your burden upon the Lord. I see you staggering beneath a weight, which He would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden—would be nothing but a bit of dust to Him. See! The Almighty bends His shoulders, and He says, “Here—put your troubles here!”
“Cast all your cares upon Him—because He cares about you!” 1 Peter 5:7
– Charles Spurgeon
What a wonderful and energetic sermon to pray on Father! Reading this, I realized that in many cases I tend to let problems and stresses build up inside me before talking with You about them. By the time they truly beset my spirit, I’ve let them grow into a much deeper hold on me than if I had just worked them through with You when they first presented.
Such a simple lesson that I’ve ministered to others more than once, and yet somehow I’ve allowed myself to fall into this trap.
Heavenly Father, thank You for placing this message in front of me today… I absolutely needed it. As I’ve said many times, I’m a work in progress and awed by Your Faithfulness in leading me along Your Path. Amen.
Thank You Father, for yet another lovely weekend! Shannon and I were able to get out with some friends for a “date night” Friday evening, and on Saturday a friend of Jonathan’s from Kay’s Kamp came for a visit. He hadn’t seen Matthew since Kamp last summer, so it was a wonderful reunion and the kids had an absolute blast. As for me, with Shannon focused on her schoolwork I got to spend lots of time in the kitchen (the kids really enjoyed making fried wontons), got some housework accomplished and still had “down time” to spend on Sunday watching movies and playing with the kids. All in all, a busy but very satisfying couple of days.
One of the movies I watched on Sunday afternoon was an old favorite of mine (I actually have it on Laserdisc). It’s a 1992 film called “Leap of Fath” which starred Steve Martin as a con-man Christian preacher and faith healer named Jonas Nightengale who travels across the country hosting revivals and performing “miracles” for the crowd. On his way to Topeka, one of the trucks breaks down and strands the troupe in a depressed farming town called Rustwater. Jonas decides to do their show in the small town while waiting for the truck to be repaired, and is quickly met with resistance from the local sheriff (played by Liam Neeson) who seeks to expose him for the charlatan that he is. Jonas’ perspective however, soon changes when a local handicapped boy begins to make him examine his faith in a different light.
This is one of those films I can watch again and again, and yet gain something new from it each time Lord. It highlights some of the depths that in our brokenness we can sink to, and yet also delivers a powerful reminder of Your capacity for love and the spiritual transformation that can only come when we actively seek You. Watching this time, the thing that struck me the most was the look on Jonas’ face when he witnesses an actual miracle of healing during one of his shows. From the chasm of his self-centeredness and disbelief, he’s forced to see past himself and realizes that he’s truly not in control of things.
Mr. Martin does an amazing job portraying the character in this scene. The look of awe on his face at that moment describes quite eloquently the feeling I get when I spend time in Your Presence. 🙂
Heavenly Father, thank You once again for a rejuvenating weekend. It always refreshes me to find Your Messages to us in so many varied ways and places. You truly are the God of “Miracles and Wonders”. Amen.
Over the last couple weeks Father, it seems that I’ve been performing more and more data recovery services at my office. It’s actually work that I enjoy; taking a damaged hard drive where the contents have been rendered inaccessible and extracting the client’s seemingly lost bits of information contained therein. It’s a puzzle sometimes, and each drive has it’s own nuances that requires specific “massaging” to get to the data.
For the client, it’s a time of trial to be sure. Critical business data, family photos, tax returns or years of childhood videos may hang in the balance. People tend to underestimate the importance and value of the information they entrust to their computers these days, and when it’s not there all of a sudden it can be quite a shock. In the end, It’s a wonderfully satisfying feeling for me to hand them back something precious that they thought was lost to them forever.
Hold on… That’s what You do for us!
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” – Ephesians 2:4-5
We bring our lost and broken selves to Your Feet Lord, and through Your Son Jesus Christ we are “recovered” and made whole again. You return to us the most precious part of ourselves, and delight in doing so.
I never thought of you as a fellow geek Father… I like it. 🙂
Heavenly Father, thank You for “recovering me” from my sin and brokenness. Please continue to fill my spirit with new and beautiful “data”, and assist me in promoting Your Wondrous Service to others. Amen.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day.
Hi, I’m Phil Malmstrom, a.k.a. Phather Phil. I’m self-employed, father of two wonderful young men, an ordained minister who delights in spreading Jesus’ Message of Hope and Love, a science-fiction junkie, an aspiring photographer and above all that one of God’s Children who rejoices in His Blessings each day. 
