We as Mennonites are real big into discounts. The cheaper the better. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that…
I do think how ever, that we do a tremendous disservice to the name of Christ when we “discount” the miracles He does in our lives.
Like the most recent “big miracle” in my personal life…
Don’t get me wrong. I think miracles happen around us daily but we must have the eyes and mindset to realize them…..
Back to my big one.
Roughly 3 and a half months ago I was hospitalized for what we know now was sepsis (infection that somehow got into the blood) and an ugly kind of staph. I knew I was sick. But because I had been sick for so many months prior I did not realize the seriousness of my condition till after I was on the mend.
I will never forget the parts of the day I can remember. I had been hospitalized the night before. I knew they were fighting to keep my temp down. I was not in ICU but had all sorts of monitors and wires connected to every part of my body. I knew I was running a fever because I kept asking for just one more blanket. That cold is unlike any other. In the afternoon my friend Connie was standing by my bed and though I knew she was there, it took every ounce of effort in me to even open my eyes. I could hear some of her words and tried to respond but it felt like I was trapped in a tunnel. My arms would not obey my commands to lift in response to commands of the attending drs and nurses. My tongue felt like it was about 10 inches thick and would not cooperate to form words. They pushed me somewhere in a wheel chair to do a brain scan and it was all I could do to muster up enough energy to get from the bed to the chair. I know they were trying to get me to chat with them cause they told me so later, but all I could do was sit with my pounding head in my hands. I was dizzy and cold and just wanted to sleep and I wanted them to stop their endless chatter because it really hurt my head. Connie, in the meantime, being a nurse, saw and understood the gravity of my situation and called my pastor’s wife and told her I needed urgent prayer. Apparently that is the exact text that went out on our prayer hot line. At the very exact moment my text message ding came through on my phone which was laying close to my bed, which I heard and comprehended that I heard, my fever broke. It was like waking up. I could talk and move my limbs. The headache was nearly gone and my very concerned doc was standing at my bed asking me if I knew my name. I giggled at him and said of course. He told me he had been extremely concerned the sepsis had spread to my brain and wanted to do another kind of scan to confirm which we did and it came back just fine. (Of course…)
Rocking that very attractive hospital gown – post fever…
At first and many moments since especially when my doctor has introduced me as that patient that nearly died, I have though wellllll, it probably wasn’t quite so bad. I really wasn’t all that sick. But this week a member of our extended family was hospitalized with septic shock and the statistics released on some of the prayer requests messages that came through were reminders. Basically 50% of people who get sepsis die. That’s half! Half of the people don’t survive.
I went home with a picc line (not fun!)
But I did. Yes the 5 different antibiotics coursing through my veins helped but God still has a plan for me and He chose to step in and show off at the very moment my church family got on their knees to intercede for me. He provided my miracle. And you know what? He has a plan for you too if you’re alive enough to read this!
The miracles in our lives aren’t always the big splashy kind. Sometimes it is the quiet reassurance of God’s love through the touch of a friend. Sometimes it is the unexpected anonymous check that shows up just when you need it most. And then sometimes it is the prayed for healing. But either way, MIRACLES HAPPEN! It’s our job to notice them and then acknowledge the divine design of a Creator God who loves us more then we can fathom. HE is good!