Today was another great day. Sarah is doing remarkable; literally. We’re getting remarks…
Lisa stayed here last night and met with the doctor this morning. I got here in the early afternoon and passed the doctor in the hall. The doctor said to me with a big smile: “Sarah is doing fantastic! I have nothing else to add or say. She is doing great.”
When I got to the room, Lisa told me that the doctor had met with her earlier and she told Lisa: “Sarah is doing great. I don’t know really what to tell you. Do you have any questions?” Nope. No questions. Sounds like the Hand of God… Sounds like the report of the Lord being placed in the doctors mouth – (like we’ve been praying for). It sounds good. I like it when they use words like fantastic!
Sarah’s mood is great. She is at peace and is as active as she can be in her room. It was such a beautiful day that when I got here, I asked the nurse if we could take Sarah outside. She said yes, so we got a wheelchair and hooked-up Sarah’s IV, got her a facemask and out we went for a walk.
We roamed around the empty campus grounds of McMaster University in the cool Fall air. It was so refreshing for all of us, as it seems like forever since any of us have been outside for any length of time. But especially for Sarah it was wonderful to be outdoors. At least Lisa and I have been able to have some change of scenery as we’ve moved in-and-out and to-and-from the hospital and back.
As we were walking, we noticed a couple of deer in the front yard of a house across the street. They stayed there the entire time we were walking. I thought of Psalm 42, where the Psalmist correlates the thirst of a deer to an appetite for the Presence of the Lord. It says:
For the director of music. A maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and 6 my God.
My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
This Psalm feels fairly accurate for where we are: we find ourselves thirsty for the one and only living God, in the midst of the taunts of the enemy.
The Showdown
Then as we continued walking, I noticed a fox at the end of the street we were headed down. So, I quickly turned the wheelchair around and we walked the other way. I noticed the fox was stealthily moving along the roadway behind us, tucking in and out, slinking along behind bushes and rocks. I just kept my eye on him, watching what this little fox was doing making sure he wasn’t rabid and fearless of humans. (I’ve probably watched a little too much Discovery channel…).
Anyways, we noticed the fox was moving towards the deer. I noticed that they sensed him more than they saw him. They looked up, and flicked their tails when he got nearby. Then, when the fox came out into the open, the deer just stared the fox down for about 5-10 seconds, and ignored him and resumed eating.
The little fox cowered, and quickly trotted off into the woods.
Instantly, the Lord brought another Scripture to my spirit. It was the words of Tobiah and Sanballat as they sought to oppose Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall. They mocked the people for what they were building, and they said; “What they are building—if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!” Neh. 4:3b.
Faith rose in my spirit, as I knew that God was once again using His limitless vocabulary to speak to us. I felt the Lord encouraging us to keep building the wall. To keep pursuing His promises. To keep believing for the breakthrough of His Kingdom here and now. That little fox ran and cowered when the deer just ignored it and kept eating.
We are hungry and thirsty for the living God. We are pursuing Him with all that we are. No little fox will throw us off. No little tormentor will intimidate. Our God will fight for us!
Our God is fighting for us. He is fighting for Sarah. He is building His Church. God wins!
“Lord – we are Your people. See what the enemy is trying to do. Consider his threats. Search and know our hearts. We are steadfast in our love and pursuit of You. We trust in You, O God. We trust in Your Word. We know that You are faithful and You are strong. Reveal Your Glory in our lives. Breakthrough and scatter the enemy, in Jesus’ Name!”
Thanks for being here everybody.
Be encouraged. Our God is fighting for us!
Matt & Lisa