A RAINY NIGHT

I stood there waiting for my husband, Kent, to bring the car around, protected by an overlay covering of the building I was standing near. The outdoor lighting was dim. You could hardly see your hands in front of your face. It was my husband’s class reunion of 1979 they were celebrating. We left the event early as they danced the night away, celebrating the reunion of their classmates. They were so happy to see one another, it was simply wonderful to behold. As I stood anxiously waiting, protected by a covering to escape the rain, for my husband to bring the car around, I looked to my left and there was a classmate of my husband standing there very humbly quiet. We greeted each other, and I then recognized who he was and I said, “I heard you were in the hospital”, and he said, “yes.” Then he said, with a low tone, “I have a pacemaker”, with his hands in his pockets.

I noticed an overwhelming confidence that he had about this device that was placed in his body. I was shocked by his calm demeanor more than his illness. Somehow, I knew he was going to be just fine. I was sad to hear that report at first. My heart was overflooding with compassion for him. As we both stood there in the rain, it made it more difficult to see the view that was in front of us. The young man started to give God all the glory for this surgical procedure. He thanked God many times for keeping him alive and how he had this device (pacemaker) in his body. He repeatedly gave God all the glory for his life. It was a beautiful thing to hear. I felt so honored to listen to his testimony. I was truly grateful and had much gratitude for how our God, once again, gave his children what they needed at the right time. You see, he wasn’t just grateful for his life, but he was also grateful for his pacemaker.

Pacemakers are used to treat problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. It is a device that is implanted in the chest or abdomen to help control the normal heart rhythms. As my husband drove up, the rain was pounding on the ground and the glistering lights reflecting from the rain off the cement. We said our farewells as I walked away with this conversation in my heart. That night I pondered on our little talk. My heart, once again, groped with great compassion as I prayed for this young man: that God would touch his life and heal all of his sickness. Somehow, I knew God was going to do it. A good man’s steps are ordered by the Lord. It was preordained for the young man and I to talk those few minutes. It could not have been more than three or four minutes, but they were very powerful.

As I prayed for him that night before I retired, the Lord spoke to my spirit and said, “implant, implant.” And I said, “yes, Lord, what do you mean?” The Lord said to my heart in prayer, “This young man has confidence in the implant device (pacemaker) that is in his body, with the assurance that I was there also with him. He does not rely only on the pacemaker in his body, but he is also relying on me to keep him alive and well. This young man is very grateful for the implant device, but he is counting on me for things to go smoothly. It is the same with all of my children on Earth. Tell them to take my word (the Bible) and implant (engraft) in their hearts like this device the young man has in his body.

Implant is defined, (1) to put something in a specific place: especially medical: to place something in a person’s body by the means of surgery; (2) to cause something to become a part of the way a person thinks or feels. Our heavenly Father wants us to grasp both definitions. The first definition is the surgical procedure that the young man experienced. The second definition is what Jesus wants all of God’s children to experience, a spiritual implant with the word of God. This all comes by simply reading God’s word a few minutes every day or listening to CDs, ipods, Christian radio or television, and always your church’s bible studies. All of this will cause the word of God to be effective in your heart. God wants you to get the word deep, deep down in your hearts, like an implant (engrafted). You say, “how do I begin to do this? I never even read the Bible before but I am a believer.” It all begins by just picking up the Bible and reading it, or listening to it as we stated above, your choice. It’s just that simple. Always start with a little at a time, five minutes a day. The New Testament is a great place to begin, starting with the gospel of John. It is a marvelous thing!

When obstacles, challenges, or temptations come your way, the word of God will rise up in you and Jesus will bring up everything that you have read and listened to. This will defend and protect you in every situation. This is all done by God’s Holy Spirit. There are many times you will not know what to say or what to do when temptations come your way or atrocities. It will be the Lord Jesus himself that will cause the word that is implanted (engrafted) inside of your heart, that will tell you what to say when you are in opposition and in many times, you will not have to say anything. The word of God will speak for you and you will be silent. That is the power of the word of God, when Jesus dwells with you and he lives in you. Therefore, it would be Christ in you that will pull out the word that is implanted (engrafted) in your heart in the right time.

It is the same with the young man. He has a pacemaker that is implanted (engrafted) in his body. If he needs it, he can count on this device (pacemaker) to do his job, but mostly he knows that Jesus lives in his heart, with this device. What a beautiful pattern weaved together; modern medicine by the hand of man, in Jesus Christ living in our hearts by the hand of God.

This is all so much to fathom because we are talking about believing in miracles and trusting in science, but it is all well and purposed by God. It is a beautiful thing. I know God is with this young man. Everyone in my husband’s class loves him and is praying for him, as are my husband and I. We trust that God will keep his hand on this young man’s life. He reminds us to always give thanks to God for everything and to be forever grateful for every situation, good or bad. This young man is strong and courageous. I pray that God will bless his life and that he will bless everyone and their families that was at my husband’s class reunion of 1979. May God’s face forever shine on them and their families and that they will prosper and be blessed and continue to grow in Jesus Christ and in all of their endeavors.

I learned many life lessons at this beautiful occasion, but the greatest lesson was the night that Jesus stood between me and that young man with the pacemaker on a rainy night. Amen.

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (PSALM 119:9-11).

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (JAMES 1:21).

Glory Be to God,

Rev. Helen Trower