(May 26, 2024) Maureen McQuillan encourages trusting Jesus…

Sadly the past few months have seen further trouble around the world including our ‘Lucky Country’ here. Crime has escalated especially among youth, even those released on bail!

And we learn of friends and ministries who are tired or overworked, wanting to give it all away. Sickness has hit several unexpectedly, even my husband  Robert.

It’s all so sad. But I encouragingly say that Jesus cares… to quote a confident line from a beloved old hymn – ‘Does Jesus care? Oh yes, Jesus cares!’

Now then… I know, I know… I wrote the following back in January, but in these times of desperation even among Christians, I feel to repeat what I wrote before about an incident that hit me out-of-the-blue–

Sadnesses
Yes, there are times in life when Christians may wonder if the Lord has heard our prayers, our cries regarding some serious matter, something that’s gone wrong. The reality is that we just have to keep trusting Him, believing that He has heard us, knows what’s amiss and that the answers we need will come our way, believing – knowing – in our hearts that He cares!

I’ll be honest here, being a Christian doesn’t mean we will always live an unchallenged, carefree life. Yes, we will have a good life, sins forgiven and an assurance that we’re heaven-bound.

But… presently we’re still here and things can go wrong, even to God’s spiritual children! Accidents, sicknesses, disappointments, marriage and family troubles, sudden loss of loved ones, even disasters.

But life is life, and has its ups and downs! Praise God for the good times we have, freedom from many things that go wrong with others, but… bad times could, may, can come our way and sadnesses can hit us. We’re human like everybody else.

Suffering
Take suffering for example. I praise the Lord that I’ve had good health, but an incident – a seeming disaster – hit me some years ago that was out-of-the-blue and really took me by surprise. In preparing for moving home I’d brought a little outdoor table inside to the tiled family room to pack it up, and happened to lean on it. It collapsed backwards and I went stumbling cracking my wrist on the metal. I almost screamed with the immediate fiercesome pain!

Robert, preparing a sermon in his study, heard the crash and rushed in to see what had happened. He was shocked to see a bone was bulging the flesh of my wrist outwards and a huge swelling occurring. Touching my painful wrist so gently, he instantly prayed for a miracle. The bone stopped pressing outwards but the pain was still there. Quickly my husband rushed me to the local hospital.

At triage, when the receptionist asked my doctor’s name and I weakly said that I didn’t have one, hadn’t needed one for many decades, she looked at me disbelievingly! Robert quickly phoned his doctor friend who graciously accepted me as a new patient (and so, after many years I now had a doctor, and a good one!).

To cut this story short, I was to go through some new experiences in trusting the Lord… and knowing yet again that He cares. Although I needed urgent surgery, due to other top priority cases I wasn’t operated on for three days! A painful time of having to rest… and take painkillers! And accept what was going on, knowing I was safe in the Lord’s hands!

The surgeon who operated on my wrist commented that I was in good health for someone who hadn’t needed a doctor for decades. Then he positioned a titanium plate and nine screws in my broken wrist bone to join fractures and to support it. Even today I must be careful not to knock it against something. But once again I knew that my Lord cares for me in troubled times and answers prayer!

Sharing
An interesting aside… a nearby patient continually gave nurses trouble. She was somewhat hysterical, and screamed at them, not doing what they asked, and refusing to eat. They were ready to have her removed.

Then came a moment when I was able to chat with her and with Jesus’ help calm her, giving her some assurances and sharing the Lord. She was at rest after that, a different person.

Not for one moment did I think that I had to have that painful accident to be hospitalised so I could calm that lady! No way! But the Lord had me in His arms and gave me the opportunity to reach out and help another needy soul.

God does care! He does hear our prayers… your prayers, and how He cares! I could share many other times how Jesus intervened in my life and helped me win through troubles, but I’ll centre attention on God and His word…

Scriptures
We must keep trusting God for we can bank on His love, provision, protection in that He will help us and bring us through whatever comes against us! Your prayers are heard by God (1John 5:14-15, 1Peter 3:12). 1Peter 5:7 is particularly precious: ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.’ That word cares (melō) infers that He is interested, concerned. And He surely is!

Even when we have to wait on an answer from God, Romans 8:25, encourages,  ‘But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.’ That word ‘patiently’ means, believe it or not, to cheerfully endure. Now we humans find waiting patiently hard! Hebrews 13:6 is comforting: ‘So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”’ And other scriptures also encourage us not to be fearful.

The Holy Spirit Himself is a great help here… patience being one aspect of His fruit (Galatians 5:22ESB). You have but to ask Him… He’s your greatest friend (John 14:16Mge).

Yes, sometimes we weep before the Lord… I’ve shed some too. But He does see our tears. I often recall Galatians 5:22ESB… she wept bitterly (1Samuel 1:10,17) and God heard her and in His timing answered her prayer. Know that He hears our prayers… your prayers!

Simple!
No matter what is going down, we should simply pray believingly (not necessarily long prayers, just talking to God as His children). What we have to do then is trust Him, which is simply leaving it all with Him. But remember trusting may mean waiting! The answer doesn’t always come immediately, but comes in a perfect way in God’s good time.

I know – I’ve had my own challenges, but when the answer came – His answer, His timing, His way – I could praise my God! Actually I’ve learned to praise Him even in the asking.

Words from that old Frank Ellsworth Graeff song come to mind…
‘Does Jesus care when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth and song?
When the burdens press
And the cares distress
And the way grows weary and long?

‘Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares
His heart is touched with my grief
When the days are weary
The long night dreary
I know my Saviour cares.’

Got a problem?

If Jesus is your Lord, have you prayed? If so, Jesus cares and has heard… the answer is on the way. We may be living in troubled times but the Lord will protect us, take care of us… and may even return sooner that anyone thinks. Keep believing in our Lord Jesus – and trust Him.

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Pr Maureen McQuillan’s links: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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