Great Health News!

The CT scan revealed that my lymph nodes are back to normal.  They were enlarged earlier because they were doing their job…protecting me from infection. The scan also showed scar tissue on my lungs.  The doctor said the scarring was likely from an infection that my body fought off and defeated.

This brings to mind those wonderful verses in Psalm 139 (verses 13, 14, CEV)

You are the one who put me together inside my mother’s body,¹⁴and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.  Everything you do is marvelous!  Of this I have no doubt.”

The God of the universe is also the God of me.  That is a big idea to wrap my head around.

This whole dabbling in medical technology has increased my faith as I see evidence of life working the way the Lord intended it.  Those swollen glands?  They were making lymph, the white blood cells that fight off infection.  Scar tissue in my lungs?  Evidence of an infection successfully conquered.  The pain on my arm when I burned it making peanut brittle?  My reflexes jerked my arm away before too much damage was done.  The pain many thrifty Americans feel as they watch their tax dollars flush down the drain and the national debt soar into the trillions?  Evidence of the need for voters to create another major power shift in the houses of congress.

Many of us do not choose to take action until we have pain, whether it be emotional, physical, or even spiritual.  There have been times in my life that I haven’t given God much of my time — I’ve just been tooling along rather pleasantly in life…until the pain strikes.  Then I get back on track.

When my daughter was two years old, she jerked free of my hand and dashed across the street chasing a brilliantly colored leaf as it blew right in the path of a car.  Fortunately, the car stopped, but I quickly disciplined my daughter so she would get back on track.

Is it possible the Lord does similar things to us, as a father to his children?

My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,

¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father ^[b] the son he delights in.
(Proverbs 3, NIV)

Perhaps these medical trials are merely paths God is using to teach me to trust him.  He is there for me.  He provides me with all that I need or could ever hope for.  He fills my empty places and heals my wounds.  He satisfies me when I am restless.  He is the Source.  His word fills me.

The Lord fills me with his grace, and I am excited to look forward to another year in his presence.  What gifts of creation will I see this year?  One thing is for sure…no matter what circumstances come my way, they will be gifts if I allow the Lord to use them for his glory.  My goal today is to remember in all things that the God who made this universe also made me.