As some of you will know, our family recently had quite a challenge. One of our little grandsons, Beau, who is three months old, contracted bronchiolitis and ended up in hospital in quite a serious condition. The doctors had decided that he needed to be transported to Westmead Children’s ICU but there wasn’t any transport available and so he remained in Nepean. He was on high flow oxygen, a drip to keep him hydrated and was a very sick little boy. It was touch and go for a while there. Little Beau is now home from hospital after more than a week, and is improving. Now the crisis is over, I have had time to ponder over the experience and see what is to be learned from it. At times like this, when it feels like life is out of control and you can’t do anything, we realise the blessing and strength that is available to us as Christians. Our lives are not tranquil and smooth. Life is just not like that, is it. From time to time we are confronted with a battle and it is up to us to decide how we are going to respond. Whether it be a health crisis, a financial challenge, relationship turmoil or work/school situation, we will all have our time to fight battles. If we look at battles that were fought in the Scriptures we can see that the smartest first step should be to call on the Lord. He is the one with wisdom to know how to fight the battle and the strength to carry it through. As a family we did that, but in addition we called on the power and support of a wonderful church family and the extended Christian community to pray. Family and friends asked their networks to join in prayer for little Beau and so the numbers grew. There were hundreds of faithful, beautiful, believing Christians interceding for our little man. Can I also say, girls, that you cannot underestimate the amazing power of praying in tongues during the battle. When you need the power of God, the wisdom of God, the strength of God and a breakthrough from God, pray in tongues long and loud and fearlessly! He is mighty, He is powerful and there is no other name that can do what our wonderful God can do. It is the one thing we CAN do when you feel that there is nothing you can do and are overwhelmed by helplessness. Believe me, you are responding in a most effective and strategic way. There are a couple of new insights that Holy Spirit has given me as I have thought over the last few weeks. Firstly, be careful where your head goes during the battle. Don’t allow your thoughts to guide you off track. Choose to arrest those thoughts before they take you to an extreme place. Let the Holy Spirit guide your thoughts. Secondly, after each battle He gives you new truths, or perhaps a deeper understanding of a truth you already had learned. Perhaps He shows you a deeper understanding of His character, or His love for you. There are fresh things to learn about His intention for the Kingdom of God, or how He wants to use His children for his perfect purposes. We can always grow from a battle and this is one of the sweet outcomes. God never wastes it. Thirdly, when Moses fought the Midianites there was a great victory. Some of the people battled on the field and others supported the battle behind the scenes, but when it was all over, Moses and his soldiers brought the spoils of the battle back for everyone to share. I felt the Holy Spirit say that our victory with Beau is a victory for us all, and the things I have learned through it are truths for us all to share and savour together.Thank you girls for adding your strength to our family during this week. It was greatly appreciated!
