His name is Ed; He’s my pastor. He’s the one who has faithfully taught me from the word of God for the past 7 years of my life. Ed is truly a man who wholly follows the Lord his God with all his heart.
Ed’s son, Eddie, is in a coma. Why do bad things happen to good people, we ask? The Bible tells us that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Eddie experienced cardiac arrest on Saturday and is in stable condition, (praise God!) but he needs to return to his family. As the church all over the world cries out to God asking our gracious merciful Savior for a miracle, I seek out my readers, those in the body of Christ, to join me in prayer for Eddie. We’re asking God to wake up Eddie. We’re asking God to surround Eddie’s hurting family with His presence during a most difficult time. Eddie is 26 years old, married and has a 3 month old son.
I feel the pain of Eddie’s sorrowful, hurting wife as she cries out to God on her husband’s behalf. I feel the hurt of a baby boy, who longs to know of his daddy’s love for him. I feel the deep pain of Eddie’s mother, who loves her miracle baby more than she loves her own life. I feel the immense pain of a father, who’s precious little son Eddie was used by the Almighty, all those years ago, to help soften his father’s hard heart toward God. I feel the hurt of Eddie’s brother and sister, who love him deeper than words can express. I feel the sorrow and the pain of the many lives that love Eddie. But I know the pain I feel is not as deep as the hurting family, and not as deep as our Savior Himself feels.
Difficulty in our lives always leaves the “why” question looming. I’m reminded of the words of Pastor Ed himself. Instead of WHY, which we may never have an answer to, the better question to ask is WHAT. What do you desire to do in my heart through this, Lord? What can I do in response to the pain I feel? God’s answer to the “what” question will always be, RUN TO JESUS!! The great I Am, he called Himself.
I am the Almighty, the all powerful (Rev 1:8).
I am the beloved, the center of God’s love for you (Ephesians 1:6).
I am the bread of life, I sustain you (John 6:32-35).
I am the bridegroom, who leads and cares for you (John 3:29, Rev 21:9).
I am the Bright and Morning Star, I will light your way (Rev 22:16).
I am the chief cornerstone, your rock and your safety (1 Petter 2:6).
I am your door, I want to experience intimacy with you (Rev 3:20).
I am Emmanuel, God with you (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23).
I am your High Priest; I make intercession for you (Hebrews 7:25-28).
I am the King of Kings, I am worthy of your allegiance (Rev 17:14).
I am the Lamb of God, I know what it is to suffer (1 Peter 1:8-21).
I am living water, he who drinks from me will never thirst (John 4:14).
I am a man of sorrows, I bore your sorrows upon myself; I number your sorrows and keep them in my bottle (Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 56:8).
I am your Messiah (Daniel 9:25, John 4:25-26).
I am the Prince of Peace; I will guard your heart and mind with My peace (Isaiah 9:6, Philippians 4:6).
I am your redeemer, you are mine (Job 19:25).
I am your Shepherd, your Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
I am the Wonderful Counselor; I am the comfort that delights your soul (Psalm 94:19)
I am God. (John 1:1, 14-18)
I am…
El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
El Elyon (The Most High God)
Adonai (Lord, Master)
Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
Elohim (God)
Qanna (Jealous)
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
Ed also taught me that we’re mistakenly led to believe that God will never allow anything in our lives that we cannot handle. That’s not true, he said, because quite frankly we’re faced all the time with things WE cannot handle. But HE CAN! God begs us to run to Him with our burdens, and let Him carry them, BECAUSE WE CANNOT BEAR THEM ALONE. We truly cannot. He can and He will.
“Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you.” Psalm 55:22 NLT
The old hymn says it well:
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29 – 30 NIV
Thank you so much for praying for Eddie! The word of God says to bear one another’s burdens. Prayers of intercession are a privilege; just as Jesus intercedes for us, we can intercede for others. God hears every cry of his hurting children.
Click here to read another post about PAIN.
