One particular email I came across was one sent to me by my sister inlaw back in January. She shared with me a devotion about Elijah. The devotion meant something to me today as it did back then. I will just share the devotion with you.
"There is nothing." -I Kings 18
Elijah was a man who hoped perfectly; hoped against hope
until the abundant answer came. He continued, in the very face of
darkness and perplexity, to expect, because the very God of hope lived in him
and expected through him. And he was not ashamed, for it came
to pass the seventh time his servant said, "Behold, there ariseth a little
cloud out of the sea, about the size of a man's hand," and in a little
while the heaven was black with the clouds and there was a great rain!
Canyou count God faithful when only the still
small voice speaks? When there is neither wind, earthquake, nor
fire? Can you start when you see the cloud no bigger than a man's
hand? Can you say: " There is nothing," but
I wait on Thee. My mind is peculiarly dark regarding the way I am to
take, but Thou knowest. Unto Thee do I look up!"
"There is
nothing"- though the raindrops needed sorely and so long
Have been promised
by Jehovah, by the Father true and strong.
And the sky is
blue and cloudless, and the earth is parched and dry,
Yet no showers are
forthcoming from the reservoir on high.
"There is
nothing-" but the prophet knows and trusts his Master's word;
He is not a
senseless idol, but the mighty, powerful God.
He has seen His
wondrous working, he believes Him faithful still;
So he humbly waits
in patience for Jehovah's perfect will.
"There is
nothing"- oh, how often doth the enemy declare,
Nothing for your
constant wrestlings; nothing for your cries and tears.
And the faithless
heart says
"Nothing,"
through deceived she ne'er has been,
For the little
cloud so longed for, at the seventh time is seen.
"There is
nothing,"- but there shall be: God is still the Great "I Am."
He is NOW
Almighty, faithful, and forevermore the same;
And the tears, and
cries, and wrestlings, have been recorded on high;
Not forgotten, nor
neglected, to be answered by and by.
-James Boobbyer
"Get up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of
abundance of rain!"
There are so many times I feel as if I hear that still small
voice like I have many other times in different situations but this time it is
over shadowed by the loud reports ("facts") from the doctors. The
tears of desparation that I have cried have seemed to go unnoticed by God. I
want to believe in that voice I hear but fear overwhelms my soul most days. It
is the darkest place I have ever been in. I cannot even begin to describe what
all this tragedy has done to our lives.
However, it is Words such as
this that remind me that just maybe there is still hope. That there is still a
compassionate and loving God who really does care and hear this mother's heart
for her only son. I am so afraid to hold onto faith and the unseen for fear
that it will bring disappointment. I pray that I can have the faith and hope of
Elijah and believe until we SEE the cloud the size of a man's hand that brings
with it an outpouring of healing for our sweet Jax.