Day 4 of Waking Up Crying

She was out of school sick for two days. It looked like she was getting better, but then she had diarhhea - 3rd day out of school. OK, we're through the worst of it and she should get back to school in the morning. But no - I hear her crying in the middle of the night, again.

Moms know there are some nights when the tears might bring you to full alertness, Dr-Mominess, "What's wrong, Honey? How can I help?" But there are also other nights, too. And this 4th night was one of those others. I'm not ready to wake up and go through this. Again. It took her a long time to get to me. She stopped and paused a couple of times, crying the whole way.

In my room, now - and climbing into my bed. If my eyes had come opened, they would have been bleary slits. "What's the matter?"

"My ear hurts!" Oh, I know she means it. Three days of the flu, of course she now has an earache. Instead of school, that means another sleepless night and a doctor's visit in the morning, and me missing a day of work to do it. I'm supposed to be getting out of bed looking for pain pills. The doc is only going to give pain pills anyway - the latest AMA recommendations have moved away from antibiotics since most ear infections are viral - like this one. And I'm tired, goodness but I am.

"C'mere. Which ear hurts?" In the dark I lay my hand on her head. She snuffles, "That's the one!" I say OK. And with my hand on her aching ear, I begin to pray, out loud, so she can hear me:

"Jesus, the Bible teaches us that you are our healer. And I call on your healing power now. Clear away the infection causing her pain. Remove the fluid buildup in her ear. Restore her tissues to the proper balance and healing, and allow her to rest..."

Honestly I don't remember what I prayed. But I prayed for us both, recognizing that I still would need to get up and find the children's acetaminophen. But she stopped crying. And I was done praying. I didn't move, for several moments, waiting to see what her reaction would be. There was none.

"Does your ear still hurt?"

"No." Wow. She's not moving, but her answer is wide awake and alert.

"I'm going back to sleep now. Will you go to sleep, too?"

"Yes."

And she did. In the morning, she grumbled about getting ready for school. "I'm sick again. Don't you remember?"

"Yes I remember, but didn't Jesus heal your earache?"

"Yes," and she got up and got ready for school. No dragging her feet. No more whining.

I expected a call from the school that day. It never came. She's had no complaints since. Nor has she awakened at night crying since, either.

Jesus healed her earache!

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you for healing her hands, Lord!

Last night I saw a woman who is a deaconess in my church healed of her arthritis. She was able to close her hands into fists for the first time in over four years. She just kept opening and closing them again, to see what it felt like, and to verify they were still working like they should, instead of not working as they had been. God is good all the time! And all the time, God is good! We were in a group prayer meeting, praying for another woman who asked us to lay hands on her. She is stressed and recovering from a cold or flu as a consequence. It's a wonderful comfort to be able to support each other in our concerns - but it's glorious to feel the room and the people filled with the Holy Spirit and to know that awesome things are happening as His power moves! Now 1 Corinthians 12:31 rings in my head. Too long have we been too comfortable with too few of the blessings the Lord had appointed for us. Christ is real, and wants to heal people and to glorify God in magnificent ways! We must be willing to be His hands and feet and speak boldly that the Kingdom is come: in faith call for His will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven! Paul's admonition to fully proclaim the gospel of Christ was not an exhortation to apologetics, debate and study: 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, Romans 15:18-19. The gospel fully proclaimed is the gospel in signs and wonders, that all might be led to repentance and obedience.

If there is more You have for me, Lord - I want it. Draw me nearer, my God, to thee and fill me with Your Spirit. Take command of every cell and sinew, for all that I own is worthless, and all that You own is worthy. Own me. I am nothing without You. Let those around me be blessed because You live in me so that it is only with Your light and for Your glory that I shine.

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining!
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining -
Till He appeared, and the soul felt its worth!
A thrill of hope - the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices.
O night divine,
O night when Christ was born!
O night divine
O night, O night divine!