A Hard Week

Judah Ray Jones

This past week has been one of the hardest weeks I have ever experienced in my life.  Over the past month, I've preached about how our backgrounds may not be great, but God has a greater destiny for us.  I've spoken about how we may not know everything but we should act on what we know to bring glory to the Lord.  Just last Sunday we explored how we feel like if we do right we will get right.  So if our circumstances aren't happening the way we thought or planned, we can feel God is not there working.  But that is not the truth.  This week we experienced the birth of our grandson Judah and all this truth has served as the foundation on which we have stood.

Since his conception, we have prayed for the Lord's hand to be on this little boy.  We didn't know his name yet.  But we believed (and still do) that God had (and has) a destiny for him that will honor the Lord.  In his first hour or two of life, there were moments of question whether that destiny was going to come to fruition, but God........

I had never heard some of the medical terms used to discuss the lung issues affecting Judah.   As they described what they were doing and the potential possibilities of what could happen, it was hard.   In the most critical moments, when we were watching the anguish of our son, Justin, as he was torn between deep concern for his wife and wondering if his son would survive, we didn't know what to do.  I have never felt such deep pain.  Never.  As a man you want to protect your family and alleviate the pain.  I had no power to do that.  So I acted on what I did know, that we have a Sovereign, loving Heavenly Father.  So I knelt on the floor in front of our son, pulled Pam and Jalonna around as well, and prayed through my tears with pain pulsing through my chest.  I boldly reminded myself and the Lord of His promises and asked for His will to be done in the life of this little boy and for our son and daughter-in-law.  And God........

Justin and Janelle had visions of how Judah's birth would take place and what those first moments of bonding would be like just like all parents.  None of it happened the way they pictured it.  In fact, everything was the exact opposite.  We have spent most moments the past few days weeping at the drop of a word.  But it is the most fascinating experience.  While some of the tears are flowing because of the shattered dream or struggles Judah has experienced in the first couple days of his life, most have come because of the overwhelming grace of God.  People have risen up to intercede from PA and WNY, from Africa (where his Aunt Sherrill is a missionary) to Israel (where a friend put a prayer in the Western Wall); from California to Michigan to Tennessee to Indiana and Ohio; from multiple denominations and churches.  And testimonies have suddenly surfaced of the early struggles of others with their children and these have been an encouragement.  Its God.......

This Pappy wanted to affirm today that God is trustworthy, His Word is true, and He is a present help in times of trouble.  Its not always easy but He is God. And we will always praise Him.