1Chronicles 4:10
“Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed.”
(My words: Oh dear Lord, please give me a huge blessing today)!!
“And enlarge my coast.”
(May my work and influence glorify Your name far and wide, like the broadening ripples on a lake after a rock is thrown in.)
“And that Thine hand may be with me.”
(Touch my small human efforts and talents, charging them with super human power to reach souls for You).
“And that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.”
(Lift up a standard against the devil for me and those I work for that our footsteps slip not).
“And God granted him that which he requested.”
(And God answered my prayer)!
Many times I pray this prayer. Many times I stand astounded at how God answers.
I know our lives on this pilgrim journey cannot bring blessings, joyfulness, miracles and rewards every day. I also know that the nearer we come to Jesus second coming, the closer and harder our trials will be. I know Satan puts obstacles at every step and I have experienced a lot of those. However, I did read from Mrs. White that the worker for God will experience more joy than sorrow. So just now I am in the middle of a joyous spell. How grateful I am! I memorized Psalm 100 so that I could lift my voice and sing His praise and be thankful to Him all through the day.
Today is Sunday and usually we hike out on Sunday. But we heard from several people that 2 trucks were driving in today, and the people wanted to be sure that we were home. I still contemplated going out to 2 villages that we had not been to for a while, but somehow we felt it best to stay here.
Sure enough, at 9:30a.m., many patients came by truck. As far as I can remember, nobody has come here in a truck before just to see us. People around here walk or occasionally use a motorbike. I was shocked to hear that they had come from LaWah village, which is perhaps 3 hours drive from here. In fact they had all been to many hospitals and doctors for their problems. They even drove right past a clinic in MeDooGlow on their way in, traveling the rocky, rutted, horrible road to BYT! The group looked like the “Blind, halt and withered,” coming up the path. One old man with a towel wrapped around his head sunk down on a mat that BletJaw laid out for him. A lady with a mask on laid down in the corner, her head on a piece of wood. A girl with terrible sores on her legs sat in the doorway and still others, pale and tired looking squatted down on the grass outside waiting their turn because our house was full. How puzzled I was as I studied this group of people.
BletJaw spoke to them for a while and then turned to me and said that these people have heard that those coming here for treatment get well. When they go to doctors and hospitals they do not get well. “Oh dear Lord,” I prayed in my heart, “This is You! Your glory is spreading all around! You are answering all my prayers. Please help these people to know that it is You, and may they get to know You. That is all I want.”
Two ladies had diabetes and were taking medication for it, but they wanted to be healed. The old man had severe stomach ulcers along with a host of other problems. A lady was allergic to pig meat, but seemed be unable to resist eating it, consequently her upper lip was huge, swollen, red, bumpy, itchy and draining. It was so large and twisted looking that it disfigured her whole face. She was anemic, tired and very weak. One lady had hypertension; another had kidney stones for 8 years. She suffered terrible pain 2 to 3 times a month, occasionally passing large stones. The 9 year old girl had deep infections and itching rash on her legs for 4 years. Another middle age man had bladder spasms for several years and severe back pain. It took hours to help these people properly. First of all we prayed earnestly for them all. I used mostly natural remedies and changed their lifestyles completely. Many vitamins were given along with treatments most helpful for their maladies.
By the end of the day as I knelt down to pray for each of these people, a thought ran through my mind. If I were still in America I would be keeling over with self pity, sorrow and anguish over my situation in life, but that is not God’s plan at all. He has placed me here and filled my hands with work to do for Him. He is taking care of me beautifully. My life is in His hands. His tenderness and love overwhelm me. He is directing and controlling all things. I can trust Him all the time. He impresses hearts and assumes responsibility for the results of the work. It is too wonderful to comprehend. One of my favorite songs goes like this:
“My life is in Your hands.
My heart is in Your keeping.
I’m never without hope,
long as my future is with You.
My life is in Your hands,
and though I may not see clearly,
I will lift my voice and sing
‘cause Your love does amazing things.
Lord I know my life is in Your hands.”
May all our lives be in His hands is my prayer.