Torch, Winter 1991

f l ~------------------------------------------~11111 by David Slusher take 13 hours. He literally would have to pick up my brain and work under it for all that time. Chances were high that I would lose my eyesight and ability to walk. There was a 40% probability that I would be paralyzed. I like what Andrew Murray says about prayer: "What is the most vital thing in prayer? That I catch the ear of Him to Whom I speak." I know that God heard and responded to the many prayers of those who loved us enough to plead with the Creator of my body for its healing. I love what the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 4:14-16: "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our con– fession . For we do not have a High Priest Who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted [tried] as we are, yet without sin. " Here is the key verse, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." I praise the Lord that my children were cared for in a wonderful way. Jane ' s parents and another beautiful couple offered to take care of them. This was another occasion where God sent "help in time of need" which relieved our minds tremendously. People are so well meaning with their comfort. My wife gratefully heard many mini-sermons on the grace of God and how all things work together. The best one, and perhaps the briefest, came from my college golf coach, Dr. Allen Monroe. He put his arm around Jane and, with tears in his eyes, said, "God is good, God is good." The doctor reported that the opera– tion went well, but unfortunately he had to cut my third nerve resulting in loss of the use of my right eye. Someone told me later, "Well, praise the Lord, at least you have another eye." "Thanks for the tip," I thought. He meant well, I am sure, but words of "comfort" like those really don 't work. When spinal fluid began to drip out of my nose, I had to go back for more surgery. The neurology floor of a hospital is a terrific place to see life as it really is, the suffering part, that is. If you spend much time there and have any feelings at all for people, you will never be the same. You walk by doors where folks cry out in pain. Some cry out of loneli– ness. God gave me numerous opportuni– ties to share His love and comfort. I am thankful for that. There were more surgeries. On one occasion I roomed with an 84-year-old man who had won a world champion– ship coon hunt. Because I had trapped and hunted coon all my life, we had a terrific time swapping coon stories, and the Lord used them to build a bridge into this man ' s life. I developed spinal meningitis and had to stay an extra 28 days. During that time I shared the Gospel with him, and he trusted Christ. The doctor kept telling me I was a miracle. Sure I was . But little did I know how great a miracle until he started inquiring about my family. First, he would not believe that I even had children. When Jane assured him that we did , he replied, "Then, they are adopted, of course." We set him straight on that, but he still shook his head. "There is no way in this world that you can have children. There is not one male hormone in your body. I feel confident that you have had this tumor from birth," he told us. In fact, he said my tumor was of the type that produced female hormones. There was just no way he knew of that would allow me to have a family naturally . Hmmm. It sure was beautiful to know that God superin– tended and answered our prayers for children. God is good and wonderful to trust. I sometimes hear students at the seminary where I teach praise the Lord when they get a "mailbox miracle"-– that is, when unexpected money arrives anonymously. They exclaim, "God is so good to me," as though He is good only when things are going well. I want them to know that God is good even if He cripples them for life. A good God does only good to the people He dearly loves. We need to understand that and sew it into the fabric of our thinking. Sure, His trials for us may hurt, cause us to grieve beyond what we think we can stand, and may even result in our death. But, He is good and always gives us grace that is sufficient! The Apostle Paul understood this. In 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 he states, ".. .Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infitmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities [incredible statement] , in reproaches [amazing] , in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses [wow] for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." It was God ' s sovereign plan all along for my wife and me to suffer. That is how He chose to glorify Himself through us , and it was a beautiful experience to trust God through it. What about you , friend? Do you have any rivers that you think are uncrossable? God ' s love can bridge ANY river. ANY river. Take it from a one-eyed golfer whose game is finally coming back. God is good. God is good, and He is worthy to trust even if it means your life. David Slusher is director of Miller Library at Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary and assistant professor of theology at both the college and seminary. A Cedarville graduate, he · holds the Master of Divinity and Master .of Theology degrees from . Grace Seminary and the Master of Library Science from Ball State Univer– sity. He pastored a church in Dayton, Ohio, for two years.