"Brother, will you pray for me?"

It's a cold frosty and even a little icy morning here is Southeast Texas on this Friday, December 12, 2008. I am, however, still basking in the warmth of my first face to face visit with our dear Bro. Milton since his heart surgery. He recognized me immediately and thanked me for coming. As I laid my hand on his shoulder he said something I will always treasure, "Brother, will you pray for me?" I immediately bowed my head and gave thanks to God for His grace and mercy shown towards his dear servant in all this ordeal that had come his way. I had stood in that same place the night before his surgery and prayed without knowing whether he heard me or not and now I was privileged to honor his request. He then told me he loved me and said he was so very sorry because he had wanted so much to help finish the work on our house. Folks, we are talking about a man who at a number of different times since last Saturday had been pretty much given up as being with little hope for survival. I will never understand the sovereign working of God but this I can be certain of: Prayer is a part of how He moves to accomplish His purposes and when we pray we cooperate with His working. He still has a long way to go but he is off the respirator, able to drink fluids, and has even eaten a few bites. He is still very weak from the tremendous shock and stress his body endured over the past several days. But, he is able to talk, to smile, cry, and joke with his family and those attending to his needs. I know there is a technical definition as to what constitutes a biblical miracle in that it involves the setting aside of natural laws and superseding them with supernatural power. Bro. Milton's recovery may not fall into that specific category but his coming to where he is today is a God thing and we give God thanks for it all as we praise Him for His abiding love and concern for His own. Bro. Milton's wife opened a large envelope sent by priority mail to our address from their home Church in Florida. Inside there were some dozen or more handmade get well cards out of construction paper from some of the little ones as they expressed their love and concern for Bro. Milton. It reminded me that unless we become as little children we cannot see the kingdom of God. This means we have to walk in childlike faith as we trust our Father to lead, guide, protect, and direct our way. I'm looking at my desk and it's stacked up with stuff that cries out for my attention and as soon as I finish this I will be responding, but let me just wish each of you a most wonderful Saturday and Sunday and please whisper a prayer of thanksgiving for how God has shown Himself to so many within our family, those visiting the hospital, and to literally thousands who have cried out to Him on behalf of Bro. Milton and his family. Lord willing, I will be back on Monday and I'm never sure whether that's a warning or a promise but I do hope to see you then. May God bless. Amen. .....More later.