BRACE YOURSELF...

When my grandson, Ryan, broke his neck and back while riding on a motorcycle last year, he had to wear a brace for several weeks.  Prior to receiving the cumbersome brace, he could not move without extreme pain.  And had he moved without the brace, his chance of being paralyzed was a near certainty.  Ryan's accident was on a Friday afternoon and he was airlifted to Oklahoma City.  He came home on Saturday from the hospital and went to church on Sunday.  He had a perfect reason for staying home; he was in a lot of pain.  But he wanted to go to church. The same thing happened when he broke his ankle the year before.  He never let it hinder his walk with the Lord.  He never whined or questioned his lot in life.

For two years running my grandson has gone to Falls Creek Youth Camp in braces.  Once in an upper-body and neck brace, and once in a leg cast.  This is the first year he is able to participate in all the activities at camp.  He's there right now.

"So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakend and drooping hands and strengthen your your feeble and palsied and tottering knees."  Hebrews 12:12

We all have circumstances in which we've met with consequences due to poor decisions and impulsive choices.  We all have times in life in which we are tested and face difficulties.  But we have a Brace that strengthens us in our weakness.  We have a Crutch we can lean on till we are able to walk on our own with Him guiding every step of the way.  May we be encouraged that a day will come when what we endure will be rewarded with greater wisdom than we could possibly imagine.  selahV

[note, photo is not my grandson but it looks like the brace he wore]

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008] 

   

Comments

[M. Steve Heartsill]

Your grandson is one strong young man. What an example he is setting for his peers, community, and family. May we all have that strength and be that much of a witness!

[Bill (cycleguy)]

Agreed on your grandson selahV but more so on your post. How many times I have needed that brace and crutch goes beyond my two hands and feet. Way beyond! I am so glad I have a God whose grace is enough, no, make that more than enough (as Chris Tomlin sings). I pray that your grandson lives out his days of never having another cast! :)

[selahv]

Steve, Thanks so much. Ryan is indeed a diligent Christian young man. His dad taught him the word perseverance in a devotional time when he was just a little tyke. He latched on to that and believed it with all his heart. He will do things a stronger man will faint when doing. He really amazes me. While others quit working on a New Orleans mission trip because they had to wear the breathing masks while clearing out homes, he revelled in getting the job done, no matter what incredible humidity and heat he fought. Yeah, he's pretty amazing. selahV

[selahv]

Bill, thanks so much...Ryan has been an inspiration to many, including this grandmother. When I feel like wimping out, his example challenges me.

This fella has so many problems due to accidents he has had. His back and shoulder and ankle still give him continual pain. But he is out there doing what he needs to do and sometimes what he doesn't need to do. He hurt his left shoulder before he left for camp this year and he wasn't worried about it because he said, he throws the softball with his right arm. Funny boy. Because of a previous dislocated right shoulder, it pops out of place every now and then. He just goes on. I marvel at him. selahV

[Bill (cycleguy)]

I know you love him but you may want to keep your distance! Ha. Sounds like a remarkable young man.

[selahv]

Bill, LOL...we all keep our distance. I truly believe the devil tries his darndest to break that boy's spirit. He just keeps on keeping on. He's always in our prayers. God is up to something B-I-G with him, I think. selahV

[Bill (cycleguy)]

That will be the cool thing when you finally do get to see his impact and see what God was up to all along.

[Kathryn]

What an amazing young man! The Lord has great things in store for him, that's for sure. Isn't it wonderful to know that the word Christian, from the Greek word "Christ", meaning "anointed", actually literally means "The Anointeds"! The Word of God is full of the Anointing of God. It actually says in one of the prophets "The Anointing destroys the yoke." Another way of saying it is "The Anointing destroys the Curse". Like one preacher says "Don't be Cursed!". He also defined the Anointing as "God on flesh doing what only God can do." That's us! In Galatians 3 we are told that "The Anointed One hath become a curse for us...that the Blessing of Abraham" might come upon us. That's why "There is no longer Jew nor Greek...neither male nor female, you are all one in the Anointed One Jesus.(Galatians 3:28.)" Truly, "we are seated together with Christ in heavenly places." Just substitute "the Anointed One" for the word "Christ" when reading your Bible and see the truth of it. When anyone meditates and gets hold of that it is shouting news! Yoke-busting, curse-destroying news! You have to put it in action yourself. It doesn't happen automatically. You have to speak and think as if you are anointed (Proverbs 18:20, 21 and Mark 11:23).

[selahV]

Kat, any particular reason you felt led to sermonize on annointing today?