WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE PRAY

Update 9/11/06--Hayden will tentatively undergo surgery to remove the chordoma on Tuesday, 9/19.

Hayden is only three. Two weeks ago, his life promised blue skies, happy family, no major problems. Last week the world he knew caved in as his legs collapsed under him, his head ached without relief, and one eye moved independently. Doctors discovered that Hayden suffers from a rare tumor called a chordoma. The chordoma lies in a delicate position, at the base of the brain, near the spinal column. This unusual growth occurs in only eight out of 10,000,000 people.

I don't know Hayden personally. I do know and love his grandparents. His granddad is our minister of music. The world watches closely the pain of Christians. Hayden's granddad admitted before our congregation that last week was the worst of his life. He said, "I was angry at God. But God can take it. He knows what we feel, and He doesn't expect us not to feel it." He continued, telling us how THOUSANDS of people are now praying for Hayden's healing, for the medical team's wisdom, for strength for Hayden's parents and grandparents, for God to be glorified.

If you would like to pray for Hayden and his family, leave your comment on this entry so that I can share it with his family, to encourage them and to give praise to God, Who loves us with an everlasting love. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ--not fear, not sickness, not even death. When God's people pray, we experience further the blessings of that embracing love.

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The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer. -- Psalm 6:9

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Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You

while You may be found;

surely when the mighty waters rise,

they will not reach him. -- Psalm 32:6

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Before they call I will answer;

while they are still speaking I will hear. -- Isaiah 65:24

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. . . I will refine them like silver

and test them like gold.

They will call on my name

and I will answer them;

I will say, "They are My people,"

and they will say, "The Lord is our God." -- Zechariah 13:9

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All Scriptures are New International Version.

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Chordoma Information on Healthline

THE CROCODILE HUNTER

My son, ever vigilant for new entertainment media, first put me on to the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. Together, our family oohed and ahhed over the outlandish stunts he pulled with the unusual and often dangerous creatures he pursued before the camera. Yesterday I saw footage of that tenacious small snake latched onto his arm. It occurs to me that the Crocodile Hunter, too, held on to his dreams and beliefs just as tenaciously.

Steve Irwin believed that unloved animals such as crocodiles, snakes, and sharks deserve to live and to thrive, as much as any others. His behavior, foolhardy to most of us viewers, signaled, nonetheless, the need to conserve both wildlife and its habitats. He wanted to draw attention to zoological and ecological issues, and in that, he was a great success.

Viewing the footage of the birth of his son, I recalled the softer side of Steve Irwin: that he was human, that he could be conquered--by love for his wife and his children. Sure, he died doing something he loved, but he leaves behind a grieving family. His daughter will barely remember him, perhaps his little son, not at all.

The bright spot in the Croc Hunter's tragic death? He leaves behind a legacy. In his own words, his father's encouragement and work with animals greatly influenced how Steve chose to spend his life. Now the choices that he made will affect perhaps how his wife carries on their work. Someday, his children may also choose a similar path because of their dad's legacy.

I don't know what Steve Irwin believed about Jesus Christ, or whether he knew Him personally. I do know that all of us, whether or not we claim that Name Above All Names, will leave some kind of legacy behind. We're making those tracks today, just as certainly as the Crocodile Hunter followed the tracks of the animals he so valued. We're imprinting what (and Whom) we value on our co-workers, our neighbors, our fellow students, our friends, and, yes, on our families. What will we leave behind, and how will it change our world?

[Jesus speaking] My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You love Me.
-- John 17:20-23, New International Version

'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin dead - Sep 4, 2006
Irwin's last moments caught on videotape - Sep 5, 2006

EASILY OVERWHELMED

It is my nature, I guess, to take on more tigers to tame than the most experienced animal trainer could handle! A full schedule, a house frequented by lively and diverse people, and a juggled armload of projects tend to come with the husband I chose and the life I live. What I crave deep inside is simplicity, so that the clock, people, and projects don't eat me up. Sometimes I just don't know where to begin or how to find peace in the midst of the frantic pace.

Back again to the Lord! What does He have to say about this crazy life that I'm usually crazy about but often don't know how to deal with?

Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
All the time??!! No, just enough to stay focused and centered on Him. I can learn to be still inside when life is racing and raging around me, because He is my peace.

He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and He guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:29&30)
Yes, our activity level can be considered a storm, especially if we haven't bothered to consult the Lord lately on what we're adding to the schedule or how we're neglecting important focuses for urgent ones (e.g., time with Him or time with family, for community or church committee meetings, or for paying bills because we forgot because we were too busy rushing too many places).

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
If we truly desire Him above all else, and we ask Him to empower us to live that way, He'll show us what the priorities are, and things will gradually fall into place, the proper place in the scheme of things. (Pinch! I have to remind myself.)

© 2006

All Scripture references are New International Version.