Trust God's Healing Hands

Yesterday marked the first day of baseball season for the Grisez boys, and it was nostalgic for me to be back on the field as a third base coach.  Both boys had two hits and scored a run, so it was a great boost to their confidence.  One thing that is different about playing baseball in Australia is the absence of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Little League Pledge.  Near the scoreboard of Little League fields all over America, the American flag flies.  After stating the Pledge of Allegiance, the players recite:  "I trust in God, I love my country, and will respect its laws.  I will play fair, and strive to win, but win or lose, I will always do my best."  Play ball!

I am happy to say the Pledge is still around, even after all these years - just like God!  For me, saying that pledge is still a statement of fact.  I do trust in God, I do love my country (currently Australia).  I will play fair and do my best to win.  When two teams show up to play no matter the sport, either team can win.  One team could be better in every statistical category, have the best talent and equipment, and still lose.  That is why the game is played and what makes it exciting:  you never know exactly how things will play out.  That's one of the amazing things about God.  He does not operate in the way we would expect.  He doesn't often tell us what He's planning to do.  But if we trust Him, it will always be for the best.

An illustration to confirm this is still a vivid memory for me.  A young man I knew dislocated his knee and experienced incredible pain.  After he was given medication, he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  Upon seeing him, the doctor nonchalantly began to examine the leg and - snap!  He quickly manipulated the leg back into place, causing excruciating pain for an instant.  When the young man asked the doctor why he didn't warn him, the doctor explained that if he had told him what he planned to do, he would have resisted him.  He used the tactic of surprise to quickly put the limb back into place safely so the healing could begin.

This is what God so often does with us.  We experience pain and wonder, what is God thinking!  How could he allow me to have such deep, excruciating, gut-wrenching pain?  Trust the Good Shepherd, little lamb.  He knows what parts of your life must be manipulated so the healing can begin.  He will bring the relief and healing you desire.  If the doctor did not adjust the leg, the young man would have remained a cripple.  It was love and desire for restoration that motivated the doctor to cause a little pain.  The young man now serves in the armed forces and the injury is only a distant memory.

No matter what you're going through, no matter how deep the searing pain, trust God.  He never changes, and His thoughts are good towards us, to give us a future and a hope.