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Grace
September 17, 1980, while flying back to St. Louis with three other pastors, my husband was the only survivor and was severely burned in an airplane crash. Because 30% of his body was 3rd degree burns - many deep tissue burns, he spent 59 days in the hospital. Less time than what they initially predicted. He went through 3 skin grafts (it was a miracle that it was not more), the removal of most of his calf muscle on his left leg, some of his toes, and fingers. He spent most of a year going through physical therapy. To say this did not effect our whole family would be an understatement.
God’s wonderful amazing grace carried us through the difficult time of his being in the hospital, dealing with the severe burns, dealing with the surgeries, and the upheaval of our daily schedule. The day finally came when Ken was able to come home. It was a joyous day for our family. The only reason Ken came home was because I was at home and I could care for him. I could care for the last of his still open wounds. I could soak and debride the wounds. I could bandage them. I could help him with his pressure garments on his hands and legs (JOBSTs). I could feed him the HUGE amount of calories required to grow skin. AND I could help him with his therapy.
Therapy was hard. It required learning how to use his hands and legs again. He had to learn to walk, get in and out of chairs, roll over, etc. The things we take for granted. It also meant that he had to learn how to write, pick up little things off flat surfaces, button his shirts, dress himself, etc. Again, things we take for granted. Occupational therapy was harder for him because of the loss of fingers and the positioning of what remained.!
! After being warned that I was NOT to help Ken dress himself and promising the therapist and doctors I would not help, the “rubber hit the road.” The next morning he put on a dress shirt with little buttons all the way up the front. The task was challenging to the extreme! After trying several times, he asked me to button it for him. I refused. He tried again and then begged me to do it. In the process we began to quarrel. Suddenly, in the middle of the quarrel Ken began to laugh! Puzzled, I stopped in mid sentence! “We can handle a plane crash,” Ken said, “but it is the nitty gritty of life that gets us down!”
We both began to laugh. He buttoned his shirt! We move on to the next event of the day.
In retrospect we KNEW God’s grace had carried us through those difficult days while Ken was in the hospital. But … when Ken came home … the reality of life hit, full force! The everyday things that stretched us to our limits stretched us even more! Would we let God’s grace carry us through those also?
Scripture tells us that God’s gives grace when we humble ourselves to Him (James 4:6). The key to our being able to handle the “nitty gritty” of life was humility. Would we humble ourselves when we felt the challenges of everyday life come our way? Or would we hold on to our pride? God resists the proud but gives grace to those who humble themselves to Him. Grace is that inner working of God’s Spirit in our soul to give us the power and ability to obey Him. It is evidenced by our gratefulness.
I know I am not the only one who faces daily challenges. “Life is real!” (We coined that phrase during the challenges after the plane crash.) So, how are you facing your challenge today? Are you grateful? Have you made the choice to lay aside your pride and let God back His “Grace Truck” up to you and dump a load of His wonderful grace to help you walk through your difficulty? Have you told Him you can't do (you fill in the blank) on your own? When you come humbly to Him, He’ll give you the power and ability to obey Him as you accomplish that challenge you are facing! Yes, the one you are facing right now! He’ll give you wisdom to know what your responsibility is and what you need to let Him do without your help. I know! This is still something I have to practice daily! I still have to make the choice to humble myself and receive His grace or hang on to my pride and become exhausted because I am working in my own power and strength and trying to do it my way.
May I challenge you to give whatever obstacle you think is insurmountable today to the Lord, humble yourself, and let His grace carry you through? Are you needing to forgive? Are you overloaded? Are you struggling to juggle your schedule? Do you have small children that stretch your limits? Are your finances so tight you don’t know what you will do about groceries this week? … You fill in the blank!
You are loved by a God Who wants to help you handle your “nitty gritty” — everyday. Let Him. Practice humility and let Him give you His grace.
“But he giveth more grace, Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” James 4:6
Mrs Beth Spilger
Pastor's Wife
Grace Baptist Church
St Louis, MO
---- The Spilger's are working on having a book called "Plucked from the Burning" published. You are able to preorder the book at:
http://www.reflectionspublications.com/
This is going to be a book that you are going to want to own!!
This was a tremendous blessing.
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