Last night I received a skype call from my sister in China. When my computer started ringing and I realized it was my sister that was calling, I knew something had to be up. Rachel never calls, we always type back and forth. The very fact that my computer was ringing instead of "blooping" (as my mom likes to call the skype received message indicator tone), told me something was different.
I scrambled to find my headset and plugged it in, but by the time I had she had hung up on me. I typed a hesitant "hey" and waited for a response. Almost immediately she started calling again. I answered with another hesitant "Hey," this time vocal.
"Hello? Naomi?" he said. "This is Sean Walker, Rachel's team leader...."
My heart sank for a second. The fact that her team leader was calling me could only mean bad news. Stunned, I listened as he calmly explained to me that my sister was in the hospital with suspected appendicitis and would most likely be undergoing surgery later that day. His wife, Bridget, interjected here and there with warm and positive comments. They hadn't yet been able to get a hold of my parents.
At some point during all of this, I looked over at the couch in my room, where my friend Joshua was still sitting, watching and listening to the conversation as best as he could. When my eyes met his, I realized two things:
1. My hand was covering my mouth in a gesture of slight shock.
2. I had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Immediately, any sense of worry or fear crumbled. Just seeing him sitting there gave me such a feeling of reassurance. I knew that as soon as I explained to him what was going on and expressed any anxiety over the situation that he would respond with truth. He would gently share with me promises from God's Word, and comfort me with powerful truths from Scripture.
Just imagining the verses he would call to mind reminded me that God is absolutely in control of the situation, that He is working for good, that He is faithful, that He provides for His children, that I am not to worry, and that He loves me. I was reminded that such trials are for my own good, and that God is continuously at work in me. And all of these reminders, which flowed in a matter of seconds contributed to the peace that passes understanding Paul speaks of in Philippians 4:7. In an instant I had this general impression of Who God is based on Scripture, and I knew that I had nothing to fear.
Later that night, Joshua spoke to me of the gospel, and what a wonder it is that the One True God wants to have a relationship with me, that He allows me to come into His presence at all, let alone welcomes me as His own. Together we marvelled at that truth, trying in vain to comprehend it, and inwardly I thanked God for friends like Joshua. I know it was no accident that he happened to be the one who was there when I received that call yesterday.
Sean and Bridget Walker eventually were able to get a hold of my parents. In turn, my parents were able to call Rachel's cell phone from Skype and talk to her before and after her surgery. (Technology these days=amazing!) The 1.5 hour appendectomy went well and was completely normal, complete with a surprise viewing of Rachel's appendix by Sean, courtesy of the doctor. She will remain in the hospital for a week, just to be sure that there is no infection. Rachel's spirits are high. The Walkers said she wasn't afraid, but remarkably calm, laughing and calling the whole ordeal her "China Adventure." What a story she will have to tell!
I praise God for the peace that He provides in such situations. It reminds me of a couple years ago, when my sister Abigail seemed to be slipping away in Seattle Children's Hospital on the other side of the country. Then too I was overwhelmed with a sense of calm and trust I couldn't explain, firmly believing that no matter what happened, God was still good and still worthy of my praise.
Funny how easy it is to trust Him in the hard times, when I know there is absolutely nothing I can do to ammend a situation. I suppose it's because humbling situations like these leave me with no alternative. I cannot do anything but look to Him and surrender in faith. But the little day-to-day things are another story altogether. That is where my battle for faith rages. I seem to think I have some control in the mundane moments of life and, when I act like I actually do, I cease to trust God to meet my needs and fail to recognize my absolute dependance on Him. The everyday is harder to leave in God's hands than the really big things I know I can't carry alone.
Last night I was blessed with an opportunity to trust God. This morning, I was blessed once again with the same opportunity. Tomorrow, I have a feeling I will be blessed yet again....Labels: family, prayer, reflections