The current First5 study, exploring the theme of exile, has led me to ponder how my life has paralleled the types of exile described in the Bible. I hadn’t thought of some situations as exile—an unexpected job change and move, although not easy, didn’t seem quite as dramatic as Noah’s or Abraham’s. And as I navigate life on this earth, while looking forward to Jesus’ eternal kingdom, have I considered what it cost him to come to earth on our behalf?
This week, looking back on a couple of times when I felt alone and uncertain, I thought about Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Thanks to Facebook memories, I realized several of those challenging times have occurred during October. In my mind, I returned to 2011, when I spent anxiety-filled days sitting by my son as he battled a mysterious virus with fevers of 105-plus degrees, hallucinations, pain and weakness. After rounds of testing, including a spinal tap that hurt just to watch, he was diagnosed with a vicious case of West Nile virus. “If he lives through this,” said one doctor, “he can probably fight off anything.”
IF??? Well, he did survive! And over a decade later, he gets only mild symptoms, if any, of whatever virus is going around. But God also used that hard time in another interesting way. After missing several weeks of school, his teachers graciously gave him extra help, but he just couldn’t get caught up with his chemistry class. When the counselor recommended he drop the class, the only thing he could enroll in so late in the year was a drama class. Guess what—he had the lead role in the school musical that year and the next, added to his music resumé for college and beyond, and learned skills he still uses today. (And he did pass a different science class to graduate!)
In October 2021, I spent a long day at my dad’s bedside watching him fight what would be his last physical battle. I had already quit working full time to help care for him, leading to flexible work as a freelance writer; but that day, the Holy Spirit showed up in a powerful way. As I prayed and played and sang Dad’s old favorite hymns, the feelings of inspiration were almost tangible. I had dreaded the thought of soon being the “last one standing” in my origin family, but as I felt God’s presence and sensed Dad’s trust in Him, thoughts and ideas began to flow that I am still writing down now. Those ideas have led to opportunities to share with others, helping some to strengthen their own faith walk, and I’m pursuing new avenues of ministry I might not otherwise have done.
As followers of Christ, we live in physical exile from the eternal kingdom we look forward to at His return. As I follow that theme through with my Bible study, I pray I will be found faithful and continue to trust that promise that all things DO work together for good—not always for my comfort, but to inspire me to obey the Holy Spirit and to do my part in the Great Commission, as we draw closer and closer to that glorious day!
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