News/Event: Prayers and Praying-Specific Case

[This is a specific story based in a specific time. Prayers for all concerned are welcome, but please note the date of these events were in the week of July 15-20th (or so,) 2009. Please do not start a chain letter that will continue the story as if in real time for years to come. God and his miracles do not have an expiration date, but prayers for specific events often do. Otherwise, they become urban legends and ignored. We certainly do not want that!]

This story comes to us through BobbyBobby, a member of my church and very close brother in Christ. A friend of his, whom he loves as a brother, has a 38 year old son, married with children (including one about 6 months old.) The friend, David, runs a coffee kiosk in an atrium where a hospital and doctors office building meet. He also hosts a weekly prayer group where folk gather together to pray for all manner of issues in the sight of all who care to watch. Apart from the value of the prayers themselves, the prayer group has had a great impact on folk as a witness, and many have drawn strength and comfort from seeing the people on their knees.

Wednesday or Thursday (July 15 or 16) David's son, also David (Dave?) suffered from a couple of seizures. Scans showed a brain tumor and the doctors did not think it looked good. On a scale of 1-4 (4 being the worst) they placed it at a 2.5-3, meaning they expected cancer and permanent damage at the very least. The prayer group went into action and sent out word to prayer warriors. I know that several Twitter groups and e-mail lists included the prayer requests and a few thousand people at least received the request to pray. We have no idea how many actually did, but many must have responded.

The operation on Friday was 6-8 hours long. The doctors got most of the tumor and it was benign. The doctors were very pleased, and although they said there are some tendrils left, the prognosis is excellent. They had said there might be some paralysis after the operation, but that night Dave was sitting up talking to his children and the next day walking. The doctors said on Saturday that they would keep Dave in rehab for a couple of weeks, but we were all glad that such a small price had to be paid when his life had been in the balance. Today (Monday) they have changed the plan, saying he would either be going home today or tomorrow (they know which day, I just have forgotten.) He will be doing his rehab at home, praise God! He still needs prayers, as recovery will likely be painfil and difficult, but what a Blessing!

I never cared whether a person believed miracles were the result of direct intervention on the part of God or brought abought by his miraculous forethought in giving us the science and the people who are gifted enough to use it, they are miracles just the same. I never cared whether a person believed that prayers bring about a change in the plans of God, send some sort of message of support and love to those in need, or just put us where we ourselves belong spiritually because we are doing what Jesus taught us to do. Prayers are powerful just the same.

Oh, and the side story. Or is it the main event? The night before surgery some of Dave's friends got together to support him and shave his head for surgery. There were folks all around praying. One of Dave's friends was a young man who had not accepted Christ. Afterward, he went home and talked to his mother, (I believe I was told he cried some; I think I would have,) and told her that he had accepted Jesus. Keep the blessings coming!

There is no circumstance so evil that God cannot or will not bring some good out of it. The trick is learning to see that good so we can have peace amid the storm. There is no power in heaven or on earth that can tear us from the love of God or his grace. To believe otherwise is to believe that there is a power greater than the love-sacrifice Jesus made for us.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. Praise be to God. Amen.

[Please note that I may have made an error of a day or 2 in the timeline, and I apologize if I have confused the versions of Dave and David's names. If the mistakes I make today are no greater, God is certainly guiding my steps.-The T.O.]

The Tonsured One and BobbyBobby