Yesterday I was struggling, deeply tired and emotionally wasted. I knew it was the enemy’s relentless attack, trying to take the heart, the knowing out of me. So I fought and pushed and prayed and did a bit of pitiful reflection. Abba though was as ever the gentle hand, Ruach HaKodesh (the Spirit) the gentle voice, Yeshua (Jesus) the ever perfect reminder that things do work as Abba intends. At one point I told Abba, I needed faith, the knowing to be sight, soon; else it, the knowing, becomes a reproach to what seemed to be a never changing situation of wait, wait, wait. I had distracted myself with reading a deep theological book and hearing Ruach’s voice on other issues, I had prepared what I was going to teach on later, but the deep heart cry waxed and wane, ‘how long Lord?’ Then I heard Him say, ‘how about tonight? What if I show you something tonight?’ I said, a bit perhaps like the lady who Elijah was offering a son, ‘don’t mess with me if this is just my mind, I can’t take deferred hope.’ Then I knew it was Him. Did He do explosive signs, appear, give me a great feeling? Nope, just a deep knowing His voice and He is good and doesn’t lie and so I was content to wait. Dave and I went in to town early to do various things around the church. I admit while I was watering the flowers I was not anticipating the what I would see for I’ve found in my casting around mind if I fix on looking for something that He doesn’t tell me what I’m to look for then I can miss part or be disappointed in thinking that it would be something other than what He intended to do. I just watched the water soaking into the ground, dripping from the leaves and flowers without too much speculation. I kept my mind on the mundane task. When we settled into the church Dave put some music on at my request. Since it was his ipod, his music of choice is not always mine and I finally said, ‘can we have some peppy music please?’ He kindly got up and scrolled to what he thought was peppy. I felt the slow renewing of my body which had been dragging on me all day and sat up (I‘d been lying on the chairs) and began to go over my Scriptures for the night. Oy, I was starting to feel really good and got up to pray for Dave. Then I heard the door opening and people were beginning to arrive so I banked the coals if you will and sat back down to chat. The lesson was hmm, to say it was good smacks of self-exaltation since I was teaching but believe me, it was good, full of Scripture and Spirit, I was getting happy. Then we started anointing and praying for the needs. His presence was sweet. We lingered and chatted after for a bit with various ones and Dave wanted to go to Walmart to get stuff for the extended weekend ahead. On the way I turned on my phone and I had a message. Sarah’s excited voice, ‘did you hear, Inez Betancourt was rescued!’ I started shrieking like a crazy woman, nearly causing Dave a heart attack as he was pulling into Walmart. I told him and we practically danced in the parking lot. For those of you who don’t know, I have a very yellowed newspaper with a sketch of Inez on my fridge. It’s been on my fridge for years, when people would ask me who or why, I would tell them how she had been captured and was being held by FARC and that her picture would remain on my fridge a prayer reminder till she was freed. In the years that passed since her capture I’ve plead, fasted, prayed for her strength, health, release. Recently we were greatly encouraged with negations that seemed as if they would lead to her freedom. Her aid Clara and son had been released and I was so hoping but it was not so at that time. Her captivity has run nearly concurrently with my illness in length of time, each of us captured by something/someone we could not control. It should be noted that I do not hang my healing on the timing of her rescue; it was just a constant reminder during the years never to forget her whose life was being controlled as mine often seemed to be by hostile forces. I am not ignorant that it was not my prayers alone for I’m sure mine were merely one among the many which kept her alive and well enough to see this day when she would see her family again, but my joining in that particular battle gives me cause to celebrate, to dance, to rejoice with exceeding great joy because I had joined the struggle I have the right to celebrate. Inez remarked at her rescue, ‘God, this is a miracle. It was an extraordinary symphony in which everything went perfectly.’ Indeed it was/is a miracle, no shot was fired, no one was killed (one attempt at freeing hostages years earlier had resulted in all the hostages being shot) and it was a symphony of prayer and faithfulness of a loving Savior that she and several other hostages were freed. My faith had been sight just as He told me it would that day. Now that is also a great cause to celebrate. He was ever gentle in my battling of yesterday, He did not tell me to buck up, He said, ‘today, you will see.’ And see I did the long awaited answer to a prayer which now will only begin to spring forth into new life. I pray life for Colombia, for all the hostages who were freed and for those still being held to be freed. I pray that those in spiritual darkness to come out into the glorious light of salvation. I’m asking, Abba, asking for the nations with an encouraged heart that I will see the harvest of souls, I’ve long prayed for. Thanks, Abba, thanks so much for letting this girl hear Your voice and for faith becoming sight!’
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