A Text From a Friend

There are few things more uplifting than getting a text from a friend when you are in need.  Texts like, “If you need anything, I’m a call away” or “Praying for you” or “Let me know how I can help you.”  These texts from friends encourage us when we are feeling down.

It was recently announced at my church that we would be memorizing verses together through a program called Fighter Verses.  When this was first floated as an idea amongst the elders by our lead-pastor I thought, “That is a very good thing to do but I kind of hope we don’t do it because I’m not good at memorizing.”

Well, despite my fears of not being able to memorize, we went ahead with the plan.  This week was the very first week and we’ve done our very first verse.  Fighter Verses has an app with memorizing games and cell phone wallpapers you can use, which has made it easy.  I memorized the verse the first night and have been quoting it over and over this week to keep it in my mind.

Friday night I got a call from my mom, but I was calling basketball games on the radio and couldn’t answer.  I texted her during a commercial break to let her know I couldn’t answer, but she didn’t respond.  She then tried calling again during the second game of the doubleheader, but again I couldn’t answer.

Following my broadcast I got into my car and called my mom back. 

“Larry has a brain tumor,” she said.

What a shock.  My step-dad has a brain tumor.  He is currently at the University of Iowa Hospital as I type this.  We don’t know a lot but very soon he will need to have brain surgery.  One’s mind rushes to all the other implications of this scary diagnosis when it collides into your life, but we don’t know much.

“Larry has a brain tumor,” she said through tears.

I listened over the phone, fighting worry and tears myself, as my mom filled me in with what she knew so far.  We talked for just a little while and before we said goodbye we prayed over the phone and this is what I could pray.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

The Fighter Verse for this week that I had been rehearsing over and over met me at my point of need Friday night.  While driving, without a Bible open in front of me, I was able to quote the right verse at the right time for my mother to hear and believe. 

I have chewed on this verse all week long and its implications are sweet in this bitter hour.  Fear not.  Why?  Because Emmanuel is with us.  Be not dismayed.  Why?  Because the all-powerful, all-good, all-knowing, all-sovereign, all-merciful God is my God and He is for me and He is for Larry.  When I think that I can’t not be afraid right now, God will strengthen me, help me and uplift me to enable me to do exactly what He commanded.  

It is so good to get a text from a friend when we are in need.  My friend and Lord gave me a text this week.  The Sovereign Lord of the Universe ordained that my church memorize a verse this week and that we would use a very specific tool and Plan 4 of that very specific tool and that the verse of the week would be Isaiah 41:10 and that I would overcome my fear of memorizing verses this week.

I got a text from a friend this week and I’m thankful.

Now, we are fighting to believe this text.  Pray for us so that we would believe this promise of God and would follow His command.  Pray for Larry’s health.  Pray that the way God causes us to react to this trial would display His glory through our lives.  Thank God that He is who He is and that we can fully trust Him.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Thank you for praying for my family.  And may I encourage you to memorize verses.  I implore you to hide God’s Word in your heart.  A lifeboat seems very uninspiring perhaps, but when your life is going down you will be thankful that you attached lifeboat promises to your memory.  No matter how you go about it, I hope that you begin to hide God’s Word in your heart and meditate on His promises today.