So this
happened.
My mom and
my sister ended up on the local
nightly news.
No danger of
it being a perp walk, but it was documenting a walk of a different kind.
Several
months ago, my mom fell. She is an 83 year old with fairly severe osteoporosis and
her doctor determined the spinal fracture would not likely heal. He predicted
she would go to rehab and not return to her assisted living facility. He was,
in essence, sentencing her to a wheelchair.
My sister
stepped out of her caregiver role and took on the role of advocate. She works
at a hospital and spoke with doctors there to be sure that the diagnosis was
correct.
Turns out it
wasn’t. A new test was performed, a new surgical procedure was scheduled and
the result is my mom’s pain is gone and she is once again able to walk. The more she moves, the longer she is likely
to live. She has been given a new lease on life. She does not have a bad
primary care doctor; he just didn’t have any other options for her. She needed
an advocate who could search for that option.
I am happy
to say that I am one older sister who now must admit she is glad her little
sister has stubborn tenacity.
As I am
reading through the Old Testament I am reminded of the stubborn tenacity that
God has for us. Just like the Israelites wandering in the desert, I walk
through daily miracles of modern-day-manna and still turn to God with a whining tone
that betrays a lack of trust.
In
spite of this, God displays a stubborn tenacity to advocate for me. He cares for me. He loves me unconditionally. He creates a plan for my life and for my
salvation that is more than what I can imagine, more than what I can hope
for, and certainly more than what I deserve.
My mother’s
spinal procedure rescued her from pain, but it did more than that. It also
restored her ability to walk which likely lengthened her life.
God is our
healer, but He is so much more than that. The God who advocates for us sees
beyond the need to rescue and sees our desperate need for redemption.
Think of God’s
blessings to the Israelites even after their repeated rebellion:
The LORD bless you and
keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you: the
LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
God’s desire is to both rescue us from the slavery of our sin and to redeem
us as His own children:
You have led in your steadfast love the people you have redeemed: You
have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode. Exodus 15:13
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