I see Jesus showing up in US history right now. Today. Tomorrow too. I see my own dependence upon "systems" that have held me captive for far too long. When I was in my mid-twenties and working like the rat yuppie I was for Wall Street and legal firms in San Francisco, my father soberly warned me that all of the big packages these firms offered would be gone one day. I never forgot his words. Now, I see our nation on the brink and only hope that that edge of the cliff is real spiritual revival - and persecution will be our hope for that.
I grabbed the mail today at the post office on my way home from town and saw the big "IBM Benefits" package arrive on its annual due date - mid-October. My husband worked hard for 30 years for IBM, recruited right off campus at Cal Poly in sweet San Luis Obispo, CA - only 23 years old. He went from robotics engineer to alliance sales executive traveling the globe. All the perks, benefits and salary. Then, just two months before leaving IBM, my husband is diagnosed with two types of cancers. Treated with so many surgeries and chemo, I can't remember how many surgeries he had - we lost count. I remember though that the LORD had urged me on to go to the doctors office that day with him. I'd never done that before. I urged the physician to perform a biopsy, which he was reluctant to do. I insisted, when the negative result returned, it be sent to Mayo to a special pathologist. He reluctantly did so. It came back a high level cancer. Praise God for His promptings! Praise His Beautiful Name that my husband is cancer-free for four years now! Praise Him. How the LORD has changed our lives.
I look at this envelope, and doing so, I realize that the LORD is convicting me that we aren't to be dependent upon government or even any private "systems". Not even medical insurance. I've never received anything from the government. But, the horn of plenty is plenty full with private benefits.
I will be in prayer over this envelope, as I expect many of you will be. Before I open it, I must know the LORD will take care of us - that we will be in His care - not the care of anyone else. I don't want a return to the "old days", I want a new work from the LORD in my life -- His life in me -- totally dependent upon Him in sickness and in health. I dread my husband coming home tonight. Maybe I will squirrel this envelope away. I'm sure it is full of bad news. Good news?
How about you?
Love,
Candice