Most of us thought our testing days ended with high school, college or graduate school. We solved the math problems, wrote the papers and took the exams. We thought we were through testing. Not so fast. God tests us. He has tested people throughout history. He tested Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the whole nation of Israel, Elijah, David, the apostles, Paul and believers through time to this day.
How do you know if you pass the past? My friend's daughter asked him the same question. His response was to face the problems and not lose his joy. That comes straight from scripture.
James 1:2-4 (NASB)
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
I don't know of many verses more challenging to live out than this. As Brenda and I wake this morning we are facing one of our more severe tests. Tucker is scheduled to have knee surgery at 10:00 a.m. If you are a regular reader of these blogs you will remember a post I wrote titled "Bragging on God," where I testified to the fact God had healed Tucker's knee. I went into great detail about how he tore his ACL at the first football scrimmage of the year. The MRI results revealed a torn ACL and Dr. Clifford recommended surgery.
We became convinced God wanted to heal Tucker and we opted not to have the surgery. With a knee brace Tucker returned the fifth game of football season and got to live out a dream to play with his older brother Tanner during Tanner's senior year. I asked over and over again if he felt pain and over and over again he told me he did not. Each week his confidence grew as well as his playing time. He played on the varsity all year as a sophomore.
Football season ended and Tucker went into basketball. He believed God had healed him. He chose not to wear his brace. Initially I was uncomfortable with his decision and scrutinized every play. He cut off that knee, jumped off the knee, landed on his injured leg and showed no signs of injury. In fact, his coach and I talked about it. We were both amazed at how Tucker played, his explosiveness, quickness and ability to take the ball to the basket were not hindered. The coach confessed at the first practice he thought Tucker would not be able to perform especially without wearing the brace. I told the whole story how we believe God healed him. It was a glory to God moment.
Tucker played in two tournaments. He worked his way to a starting job for the junor varsity team. About ten games into the season the Tuesday before Thanksgiving we went to a game against a basketball powerhouse. Everything went as normal. On one play Tucker dribbled the basketball down the court. He shook his defender going to his left pulled up for a jump shot and when he landed his knee gave out and he crumbled to the ground in pain. I knew in the pit of my gut he hurt his knee again. I felt sick to my stomach watching Tucker writhe in agony on the floor. Immediately I questioned God.
They helped Tucker off the floor to the bench and put ice on his knee. I made my way to him and asked if he hurt his knee. Tearfully he confirmed my suspicions. Another trip to Dr. Clifford and another MRI revealed the ACL was still torn and surgery was still needed. Since that Tuesday Tucker has iced his knee and walked with a severe limp at fist and now a slight limp.
Surgery is scheduled for later this morning. I clearly believe the Lord put it in our hearts that He was going to heal Tucker. Tucker believed that. Every evidence for three months indicated God had healed Tucker. We all agreed upfront that if he suffered anything else with that injury we would opt for surgery.
Last night all six of us gathered in the living room. Starting with Turner, then Taylor, next Tanner, not Brenda and finally me we went around the room each of us praying for Tucker. They all prayed for the surgery to go well and that God would calm Tucker's fears and help him recover fast and stronger than ever.
When it came my turn to pray I had a hard time. All I could manage initially was, "God, how do You want to glorify Yourself in this situation? Do you want to do it through healing Tucker miraculously and when Dr. Clifford goes into the knee later he is surprised to find nothing wrong. Do You want to glorify Yourself through Tucker having the surgery and working to rehab the knee to come back?"
Suddenly I was reminded of a scripture the Lord gave me right after Tucker's initial injury. John 11:40 (NASB)
40 Jesus *said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"
I prayed that verse again last night. This is our test. What do we believe about God when we do not understand Tucker's circumstances? What do I believe when I remember a prayer I prayed walking out of the Wise Regional Medical Center nearly a decade ago, "Lord, I pray no member of my family will ever have to be admitted to this hospital or any hospital for surgery or sickness. May we only come hear to visit people ad to minister to them."
This is our test today. Waking my beautiful son in a few hours, seeking to calm his anxieties while clinging to our faith and somehow counting this joy is our test today. I confess as I write this, I do not feel joyful at the moment. Like many of you, when you face your trials, I ask God why? I ask what happened? I ask what He meant through [John 11:40].
Some of you reading this will immediately judge our family for a lack of faith. You will think if God healed Tucker why are you having surgery. Others will sit in judgment thinking God never healed Tucker and it was all a pipe dream. A few will think Tucker brought it all on himself by not wearing his brace during basketball practices or games.
It is easy to sit in judgement of others as they face their tests. To pass this test personally I have to have maintain two things no matter how it all turns out. JOY. FAITH. I have already cited God's admonition to maintain joy in times of testing. Here is a challenge about faith. Hebrews 11:6 (NASB)
6 And without faith it is impossible to please
Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He
is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
I have to keep trusting God to please Him and to pass this test. I have to believe He is faithful and He is worthy of my trust no matter what the outcome is. This is true over and over again in life. It is true in life and death. God demands to be trusted.
Do I believe God can heal Tucker? Absolutely. I pray to that end. Nothing would thrill my heart more joy than for Dr. Clifford to come out to the waiting room to tell us he found the ACL healed and in tact without any explanation. That would be the glory of God. I also know God can heal through Dr. Clifford's skilled precision and that too would be the glory of God.
Either way, to pass the test I have to maintain joy and faith in God no matter what happens. That will be true of every test for as long as I live . Joy and faith. It will be true for you as well. Joy and faith. Those are the proof that we pass the test.
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