Putting It Into Practice

I’m a planner. I had this week mapped out and things in place for my husband and I to leave Thursday for a 14-day Baltic Sea Cruise to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It included time with my husband’s cousin in Amsterdam and visiting several countries we haven’t been to yet. I had some of my dresses for gala nights laid out and various other items for the trip set aside.

Monday I had a doctor appointment with my GP and then a chiropractor appointment. I was exhausted from teaching at our women’s retreat over the weekend as well as the chiropractor adjustment, and ended up falling asleep before lunch and without doing any study for this week’s devotion. That night we were hosting the end-of-the year party for the youth group complete with dinner. A couple that helps us with you group came over early to fix food and set up.

By lunch, I had pain from the left side of my lower abdomen to the right. By dinner, I was realizing it wasn’t normal and called two of my friends from church that are nurses. They both recommended I go to the ER. At first, I wanted to wait until after the youth group party. I didn’t want to ruin it for the kids, and I wanted to be there, but practicality won out. My husband and the other two youth leaders were more than capable to handle it without me. I drove to the ER. The staff did all kinds of tests. The results came back that I had appendicitis.

I stayed in the hospital overnight and had surgery Tuesday morning. I was released that evening. Of course that disrupted my writing schedule, but it also meant canceling our Baltic Sea cruise.

The time in the hospital gave me time to meditate on Biblical truths I’ve been learning especially from the recent time going through the book of James. And on Tuesday morning, my scheduled social media post popped up.

As I lay in the hospital bed, I could have chosen to focus only on the loss of our celebration trip or even the appendix pain, but in James we learned that we are to be doers of the God’s Word not just hearers. I can study, learn, and even teach, but I also need to be a doer. God gave me an opportunity to put into practice what I have been learning.

First, our unchanging, faithful, good God was still with me and working. I am thankful the appendicitis made itself known before we had left for the cruise. I don’t know what kind of medical care I would have receive or even how quickly I would have received it. We wouldn’t have been able to enjoy our trip fully. I’m thankful for God’s goodness in my friends’ wisdom in instructing me, and the support of my husband and co-youth leaders in encouraging me to leave the party. I’m thankful for the care I got at the hospital, the relatively short wait in the ER, and for a successful surgery. I’m thankful for the visits, support, and offers of help from our church family and for my in-laws waiting with my husband through the surgery. I’m thankful for two little boys in our church who colored me Pooh Bear pictures. I’m thankful we had purchased the full insurance to cover our trip so that everything could be refunded.

Second, in James 1, we were exhorted to count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds, because the testing of our faith produces steadfastness, steadfastness can have its full effect, so that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4). My appendicitis is not wasted. God is working to make me steadfast, perfect, complete and lacking nothing. He is conforming me to the image of Jesus through this.

Third, in James 4, we were taught not to boast in our plans, but to hold them loosely, to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). God’s timing, God’s will is always best. He is sovereign over my appendicitis and surgery. This trial did not take Him by surprise. His timing wasn’t off by a few days or weeks. I am thankful that in His grace, He had already been preparing me. With the antisemitic riots around the world, we knew that our plans might change, and we might even have to cancel the trip.

Fourth, as I wrote and taught at our women’s retreat on James 13-18, I was convicted of asking people to pray for me. Too often, I ask for prayer only from my four long-time friends. My appendicitis gave me ample opportunity to ask for and let many others pray for me, and I have been blessed knowing that so many were praying for me including my pastor, his wife, and one of his daughters that came to the hospital to pray with me in person.

Fifth, in James 5:19-20, at our women’s retreat, we discussed being bold in sharing the Gospel. This has also been a topic in youth group going through Acts. God gave me many opportunities to share the hope that I have. Leaving our youth group party, the appendicitis, and canceling our trip were all launch points. The nurses were particularly drawn to the contentment I could have in our trip being canceled. They were even sharing it with other nurses. God gave me boldness to share.

Now, I don’t share all this to glorify myself. It was God at work. Psalm 119:11 teaches us to hide God’s Word in our hearts that we might not sin against Him. God’s grace, His mercy, His power, His faithfulness, His strength, and His goodness were at work, providing me an opportunity and the equipping to be a doer of the Word.

My encouragement, my key take-away especially from the study in James is to never underestimate the power of God’s Word. Spend time in it. Meditate on it. God can bring it to mind when you need it and help you to be a doer of His Word. Be alert for ways to put into practice God’s Word that you are hiding in your heart.

Reflection

1.        What part of God’s Word has He been helping you put into practice?

2.        What is a key take-away in your recent reading of God’s Word that you can pray about being a doer of it not just a hearer?