A
Testament to Love
Read:
Isaiah 40: 29-31
Fish
and tater tots may be yummy, but certainly not creative or even
healthy. It was all I had the strength to make after Gary and I had
spent two and a half days clearing and chipping hundreds of tree
limbs. As I age, things that wouldn’t have fazed me suddenly
require ibuprofen. Not that Gary and I have slowed down very much –
we just whine more afterward.
I
have a new inspiration that encourages me for 25 to 30 years down the
road. As most of you reading this know, my dad recently had to be
hospitalized because of his heart. He always seems invincible. (No
doubt he likes that description – although he might prefer the word
perfect!) Not long before that, my mother lost sight in one of her
eyes. She’s had a lousy back for years so taking away her depth
perception really messed up her mobility – or at least her comfort
with her mobility. A long walk down a long hospital hallway should
have been a huge stumbling block. But it wasn’t. I have a witness
to that. When Charlie took her to the hospital to see Dad, the long
hallway looked out of reach. When he asked if she could do it, she
said, “Well I have to.” And she did. I wanted to come stay with
her so she wouldn’t be home alone, but she convinced me that she
could do it on her own. And she did. An amazing strength rose up in
her because the man she had loved and relied on for 55 years needed
her. I’ve always known they love each other. I am so overwhelmed
and moved by the strength of that love – the power it has for both
of them. It shows us all how powerful love really is.
The
reading from Isaiah (if you haven’t read it, do it, you’ll be
glad you did.) is full of hope. Frail, scared, weary, young, old…
God channels His strength through us. He sees us through seemingly
impossible moments. My parents’ devotion to each other is a
wonderful testament to love. It’s not a one way thing. Each gives
love and strength to the other. And when they were both beaten down
and weary, God stepped in and provided the strength. His devotion is
a testament of His love for us. I want to be sure that’s not a one
way thing either. In 25 to 30 years I may not be clearing hundreds of
tree limbs anymore, but I know that I will have the strength to do
anything I need for love.
Thought
for the day: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Prayer:
Dear God, Thank you so very much for the strength You give us. The
love You have for us is beyond our understanding. Help us to approach
that kind of love for You and the people in our lives. Amen.
Jacki
Rumpp
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