Be Still

Latest medical update:  This past week we were referred to UK hospital for further treatment.  We will have our first meeting with doctors there on March 1st.  Wylie's scan last Thursday looked similar to her 22-week one and she is measuring in the 20th percentile.  Our prayer is, "Grow, Wylie, grow!"

"The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still."  (Exodus 14:14)

Moses spoke these words to the Israelites when they were hemmed in by the Red Sea before them and the Egyptians advancing from behind.  Unimaginable!  Having just been released from slavery, they find themselves seemingly left for slaughter in the wilderness.  Of course, they were terrified and outraged.  Then, the waters parted.  They walked through a SEA on dry land.

"Quiet!  Be still!"  (Mark 4:39)

Jesus commanded the stormy waves with these words and the Sea of Galilee became glass.  This was right after he was awoken by the disciples who cried, "Teacher!  Don't you care about us?  We are going to drown!"

All the circumstances for the Israelites and disciples pointed to death.  These people rightly thought that they were going to die.  This terrified them because they were never meant for it.  It happens to all, but it was never intended for anyone.  Death is our enemy and it goes against every fiber of our being.

Wylie, also, was created for life, not death.  The circumstances of her existence are similarly as perilous as the previous examples.  (Although, doctors are considering mosaic trisomy-18 since she is missing many of the physical markers of the full disorder).  Death threatens her and threatens us.

Yet, we have this hope:  Jesus told Mary, the sister of Lazarus, His beloved friend whom He raised from the dead, "I am the resurrection.  I am the life.  Everyone who believes in me will have life, even if they die." (John 11:25)  This Jesus, who is Life, who is Resurrection, proved the truth of these claims just weeks later.

Now, having overcome death, He puts Himself into us.  The very Spirit that brought Jesus up from the grave now resides in His people--in me.  The blood that stopped flowing and started again pumps through my body--through Wylie's body. (I Corinthians 6:19).

In fact, I was struck by the reality of this through a friend's prayers for me over the phone today.  Her prayer wasn't magical and I didn't have any physical sensation except for uncontrollable sobbing.  The tears were not brought by sadness, but by an overwhelming sense of being known by God, loved by God, helped by God.  His nearness is tangible.  His victory is absolutely evident.  We do not have to worry about being enough or doing enough for Wylie.  He has done it all for us!

We can be still.  The LORD has fought this battle and won.  Death has been defeated.