When in the hot tub working on my legs/feet for therapy, I sing. Sometimes I
have ear buds in and must sound odd to any overhearing my singing harmony or
bass. But in the cool (40F) still night air yesterday I just sang hymn after
hymn until tears came.
I was thinking of challenges to my life today . . . and realize that I have
the strength in the Lord to endure some pretty major events TODAY because of
what happened in March 1973. This month I hit social security, glad to be
alive almost 7 years after being given months to live. My children are all
in full-time ministry, my 10 grandchildren healthy. My wife’s health is
tenuous, but there is hope.
Some Grif.Net readers may not know much about me. I had finished seminary
and entered the full-time pastorate in Dec 1970 as an associate in a large
suburban church. Then two years later called to pastor a small rural
congregation in the middle of Wisconsin and made the move. For a few months,
all was a “honeymoon”. Then came March, 1973.
March 1, 1973 – Funeral for a baby. A farmer gave birth to a baby with
terminal defects. My wife was 9+ months pregnant with our first, so to say
it was “trying” for us was an understatement. I visited in the hospital,
then in the home, then over the casket of a tiny one – my first funeral in
that church.
March 3, 1973 – My wife gave birth to our son, who was healthy, but my wife
was so anemic and weak that doctors had great concern. Her parents quickly
came from Wyoming to help nurse her to health and help with the baby as
Teresa was bedridden and very weak.
March 6, 1973 – I stood for ordination. After 6 hours of questioning and
demonstrating competence for the ministry those ordained men of the council
laid hands on me. My wife was allowed out of the hospital to stand by me,
but paid dearly for it in her fragile condition.
March 14, 1973 – I turned 25 with my whole life planned out (in my mind).
Move over Billy Graham . . . But God had twists and turns I’d never have
dreamed of.
March 21, 1973 – My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer (she had surgery
later, but refused chemo/radiation and lived until 1984 when it metastasized
to her brain)
God saw me thru some trying times those three weeks in March, preparing me
for greater challenges ahead. And the song I was singing last night in the
dark, with words washing over my soul?
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
I choked up on the last few lines of that verse, but peace flooded my heart
because I had a renewed confidence of God’s sovereign, loving care. God is
still in control. Even the wind and waves know that; why don’t I? Though He
slay me, still will I trust Him.
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
“Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!”