A few months ago I was browsing through some yard sales looking for camping gear when I stumbled upon a simple but charming little 365 days prayer calendar. Put out by a local church, it is simply colorful index cards on metal rings, and each day has a new piece of wisdom or scripture written on it. I’m not sure why I was intrigued by it, but I was, so I picked it up for a quarter. I try to look at it most days when I sit down to pray. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that almost every day since I bought it that these phrases written down years ago have spoken to me, daily, about what is going on in my life at the moment.
Today I sit down to pray and find this for today’s message: “I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all of my fears.” Psalms 34.4
God has done it again. Like a lightning bolt to my heart, he has spoken to let me know he has heard me. I’m safe. The things I’m afraid of will be alright.
You see, my dad is in the hospital again. Or well, more accurately, he is NOT in the hospital, but should be. I spent the weekend with him and my mother at the hospital, where he was being treated for both kidney issues and a large abdominal aortic aneurism. The very word aneurism strikes terror into anyone’s heart–but we came very very close to losing him already once this summer for heart issues, so the words large aortic aneurism have us very scared.
And yet he is at home, because the doctors cannot operate for seven days due to some medicines he’s been on. So we wait, and we pray. I’m not terribly fond of the idea of him waiting at home considering the severity of his situation, but the hospital sent him home until later this week. I’m praying they know what they’re doing.
I’ve spent the better part of the last three days praying, asking for guidance, asking for God to step in and make it all better. I’ve asked for God to give me some assurance, to let me know it will all be okay. So waking up and finding this scripture? It is the same as having him standing next to me talking to me. I know it is him. I know he is speaking, and saying it will all be okay.
I love that we have a God who is not silent. Thank you God!!
Ah, I am so familiar with Psalm 34, it was one of the readings the day my husband had surgery for a spiral fracture in his shoulder 10 years ago. “Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him; He watches over all his bones, not one of them shall be broken”. v. 20 Hit me right between the eyes at 5 am the morning of the surgery, and I clung to it through his 18 mo. recovery. Prayers to your dad, Heather. <3
I haven’t felt or heard God speak to me in a long time. My prayers barely reach the ceiling. And it’s sad to say, but I can’t bring myself to pray lately, but your dad is in my thoughts. Things are going to be fine….
Your prayers go farther than you think Stephanie. God hears them before they’re even spoken. I’m praying you get confirmation of that, and soon!