Day 27: Listen for HIS Heartbeat

Five years ago today . . . 

Does your phone or tablet have that app?

You know, the one that shows your pictures

from a previous year,

hoping that you will share them all over again?

Well, this morning when I saw where I was 

five years  ago today,

I heard a whisper from my Lord's heartbeat,

"Write about my compassion." 

And I knew what He meant. 

I was in Vietnam five years ago.  As I had prepared for the trip, and the days grew closer for my departure, I had a wave of panic sweep over me when I remembered the illnesses that my son had suffered on his previous trips. This was in my pre-RA days, and even though I was fairly healthy, I knew that I would be in a totally different environment than what I was used to.  As I prayed over my journey, I very clearly heard my Lord whisper to me, 

"If I keep you healthy,

will you be willing to pray 

over someone there

who is ill?" 

This should have been an easy answer for me, as I was as accustomed to praying as I was to breathing.

It was part of who I was.

But, Lord, I am traveling there

as a guest to my 

daughter-in-law's family.

They don't understand my language,

and they don't understand

my Faith.

The whisper would not leave me, and I knew

that my answer would be yes,

even though my heart still

held onto it's own fearing.

It was an amazing trip, with memories to last a lifetime.  We walked through Customs with hardly a question, and my health never faltered.  I ate all of the food set before me, and enjoyed every bit.  Then came the day,

Five years ago today . . .

When I walked into the small home of one of the family members.

The meal was being prepared out in the separate kitchen. The fire was burning under the heavy pot, and I felt that nudging of my Lord, preparing me to pay attention.  We all began to eat the meal, but I noticed that a brother-in-law was sitting by himself, out on the porch of the home.  "Oh, he is sick," my daughter-in-law translated for me, in response to my questioning.  "He is often ill, and cannot eat with us."  And my heart's compassions were stirred within me.  

Oh, Lord, this is who you want me to pray for,

isn't it?

So, after the meal, as my daughter-in-law loosely translated, I layed my hands on this brother's chest, and offered prayers to my Lord for him.  And the next evening, when he still felt sick, I prayed again. And a week later, as many of the family came to say good-by to us at the airport, this brother was beaming, as I placed my hand on my chest and then pointed to heaven & said "Jesu!" as we were leaving.

I cannot speak his language,

and I may never know until Heaven

how the Lord's compassions

touched the heart of a brother 

thousands of miles 

away from my home.

But I will never forget the way that

God touched me with HIS heart

in order to give back from 

that same heartbeat of compassion. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (MSG)  "All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too."


Ah, but where does that leave me today,
here in this Season of 
Listening with Chronic Illness?
God has obviously allowed
me to walk right into
the disease this time.
He has chosen NOT
to bring me out of the sickness.
And yet, I hear His Whispers once again,


"Even if I don't make you well,
will you still be willing 
to pray for people,
for the ones that I show you,
with the 
compassions of MY heart?"


And I know that my answer will be 
yes.


Are you in a place of sorrow
or pain?


My heart's compassions are stirred now
with the Comfort my Lord has brought to me.
And I long to pray for you
to know that same comfort
that only Jesus brings. 



 
This is Day 27 for the #Write31Days Challenge,
and I am honored that you are walking with me
through these #31Days of Listening with Chronic Illness.

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I am linking today with some great bloggers over at
#LiveFreeThursday with Suzie Eller