Last week as I left the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion after seeing my wonderful surgeon something caught my eye.  I was on my way out after another appointment to schedule another surgery…this time with great peace and expectation.  My surgeon gave me a huge hug when she saw me and we laughed about how we see each other all too often.  Yes, yes we do.  But this time it is what it is.  Finally this blasted gall bladder…that I know has been wreaking havoc on my insides for years…is coming out tomorrow morning!  Whew-hew!

As I quickly walked to my car in the parking ramp a license plate caught my eye.  It said “J RAPHA”.  I smiled, literally laughed out loud and said with a huge smile on my face as I started my car…that’s cool!  It was God reminding me…telling me, yet again…I’ve got this…I’ve got you!  

This was not a coincidence.  What a gift it was to be reminded that Jehovah Rapha…not only THE God of Healing…but MY God, MY Healer was speaking directly to me.  Oh such sweet comfort that brought.  I hope and pray that same feeling came to the hearts of others as they left that typically dreadful place.  While merely it’s name strikes crippling fear into people’s lives,  God uses it to bring such hope, such peace and YES healing…even if it’s not how we expect.

Sometimes, quite often in fact, healing hurts.  Sometimes, like that cancer pavilion, we are taken to places we think will break us completely before that healing comes.  Sometimes healing seemingly doesn’t come at all.  But wait…wait for it…with God, it does.

My heart has been trampled…squashed…ripped to shreds.  And yet it still beats.  My body…don’t even get me started.  Ugh.  I wait.  And wait.  And wait some more.  How much more can you take?…I often hear.  Well…I don’t know….I guess more-?!  Otherwise God wouldn’t be sending it.  Right now I have this all-too-rational outlook on all of this.  The story of my life seems to be more.  Just like I can never have enough shoes… or as my husband claims I will never have enough babies…just one more-?!…apparently when I think I can’t take any more pain…God knows I can and sends some more.  And guess what…with Him…I can.  I can do it!  I can take it!  On my own…impossible.

Friend…I don’t know what you’re facing.  When God sends more…whether good or bad…and you don’t know if you can take it…you’re right.  You can’t.  But HE can.  Let Him.  Just let Him.  Don’t even think about it.  And just like how I feel about getting cut open again tomorrow, you will have an overwhelming peace that doesn’t even make any sense!  It’s.awesome!  Just like our great Jehovah Rapha!  Love, hugs and peace to you, my dear friends!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26