When the Oceans Rise and Thunders Roar
Dearest Praying Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I just got off the phone with my parents not too long ago and wanted to share the latest with you as an item for prayer. As you may or may not know, my parents were due to come back to London at the end of next week (Friday, 30 April 2010). As of this morning, in Singapore time, my dad felt that he needed to see an eye specialist since he has recently been having more difficulty with his vision. It was discovered that he has inferior retinal detachment. He is therefore going to the A&E tomorrow in the hopes that they'll be able to either do the eye surgery straight away or arrange for it to be done very soon. Lord willing, he can just get this surgery done and over with though it is also likely that the recovery period will be between 2-3 weeks which means my parents will probably remain in Singapore instead of returning to the UK.
This is just yet another "bump in the road" as they say. It has been a year wrought with various challenges for all of us, as a family. Yet, though there have been times where we have been really discouraged (or for me at least), it has also been a time of great joy as we experience God's overwhelming love through the prayers and support of His faithful people and through His abiding Word in our lives. I am in no way saying that I'm finding these days any easier, and I doubt my parents are finding it any more manageable than before but praise God that we can be confident in His sovereignty over each and every circumstance and situation. Praise God, not because we have experienced miraculous physical healing, but because He is who He is and that He is worthy of all praise, glory and honor! He is good and His mercy endures forever!
A Psalm I recently re-read on one of those painful early mornings where it was near impossible to drag myself to school...
'Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Thy faithfulness, in Thy righteousness!
And do not enter into judgement with Thy servant, for in Thy sight no man living is righteous. For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have been long dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart is appalled within me,.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Thy doings; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I stretch out my hands to Thee; My soul longs for Thee, as a parched land.
Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; Do not hide Thy face from me, lest I become like those who go down to the pit.
Let me hear thy loving-kindness in the morning; for I trust in Thee; Teach me the way in which I should walk;
for to Thee I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in Thee.
Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God; Let Thy good spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Thy name, O Lord, revive me. In Thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. And in Thy loving-kindness cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Thy servant.' (Psalm 143)
I think it was one of my dad's last blogs that mentioned how easy it is to "dwell in [those] dark places", to mull over those negative thoughts. It has become increasingly easy for me to do so with the increase of "bad news" and yet, His good news must certainly override all of that. Even when I know this will not be forever and just as I was reading Genesis 29 a few mornings ago, even seven years is "but a few days" when the focus is on something worth living for, worth working for and worth waiting for. I guess I am discovering more about God's true worth for I know it in my head and no doubt have sung it on countless occasions but it is something else to know it with all my strength and all my heart. May He continue to teach me the way in which I should walk, to do His will for His sake and for His kingdom where I am His douloi.
Thank you for your continued prayers, for your timely words of encouragement. May you also experience His amazing grace in all areas of your own life. Indeed, when the oceans rise and thunders roar, we can soar with Him above the storm. He is King over the floods. Let us be still and know that He is God.
