False Intel

Yesterday was one of the few heart wrenching times that I have had in dealing with the ugly effects of the disease that my wife is fighting.  Earlier in the week I had come across a photo that was taken of us as we were preparing to drive away from the reception hall on the way to the first night of our honeymoon a couple of hours up the coast.  I down loaded the picture to my laptop and set it up as my desktop background.  Therefore I found myself staring at her bright young eyes and sweet lovely smile throughout the day whenever I used the computer.

While I prepared dinner I was streaming some music from Pandora and had the laptop open on the kitchen table.  At one point I stopped and went back to the picture and it hit me at how much I miss that glowing, bright look as she would gaze into my eyes, her physical touch and the emotional interactions that were so common in our marriage.  I paused for a few moments and then shook off the loneliness that was trying to seep in and went back to the dinner preparations.

Well, later on I made the fatal mistake of turning on a Hallmark movie and when the two actors on the movie shared a romantic moment staring into each other’s eyes I couldn’t hold back any longer.  I had to quickly get up from the couch and trot into another room where I crashed and began to cry as I thought about my wife’s current physical condition that causes the dullness that I see in her eyes and the lack of emotional contact between us.

But you know… the trauma only lasted for a second or two as I almost immediately found myself being wrapped up in the unseen love of the Father.  Then I heard His comforting words reminding me of the truth of His promises that we are standing on and of the temporary nature of the symptoms of her affliction.   And with that reassurance, it was over and I straightened up my shoulders and returned to my wife’s side.

This morning as I was looking at James’ thoughts about putting feet to your faith, I glanced over to the sideboard of my desk and focused in on one of the numerous Bible translations laying open on it.  From the New King James version I read from Matthew 27:62-66.  I won’t quote the whole thing here, but look it up when you get a chance.  In a nut shell the author is relating how the Pharisees totally turned the truth around when they went to the Roman leaders following Jesus’ death.  They related their fears that someone might come and attempt to steal Jesus’ body out of the tomb and called Jesus: “that deceiver!”  Then with that wrong information, the Romans made certain decisions and took actions to guard the tomb.

What caught my attention was how the Jewish leaders took advantage of the opportunity and did a complete 180 degree turn with the truth by calling Jesus the deceiver instead of the devil, simply to meet their fearful desires!  What quickly came to mind after seeing this was the fact that most of the accusations that were leveled against me a few years back were also based on information that was totally opposite the truth!  Then decisions were made and actions were taken against us based on that false intel!  Hummmm… a rather devious but obvious (to the one being accused but not necessarily to the accusers) ploy of the enemy of our souls.

Then it hit me!  My reactions alone in the room during the movie last night were also actions taken based on incorrect information!  For those fleeting and painful seconds when I fell apart, I was reacting to the deception of what I was seeing and feeling with my natural senses rather than what the truth of God’s Word tells us!  Once again, I am so thankful that the Lord has impressed on me the importance of continually filling my wife and I up with that truth!

Yesterday afternoon I spent some time texting back and forth with our daughter in North Carolina.  She and her husband have been caught up in the damaging winter storm that hit back there and we were discussing the stock of reserve supplies they had in case of just such an emergency.  Last night I was glad to have our reserve supply of God’s Word in us in order to quickly quell the emergency storm that hit me!

So my point for today is twofold in nature!  First, be a good Scout and always be prepared with a full supply of God’s Word stored in the recesses of your heart to use when the storms of life hit you.  And secondly, be aware of the quality and dependability of the information you have before you make decisions and take actions to the various situations of your life!  I have a few more thoughts that I’ll share with you about this second point in tomorrow’s post.  But in the meantime, just remember and meditate on the fact concerning the power of God’s Word as found in John 8:32 where Jesus said: “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (God’s Word ©)

Have a wonderfully strong-in-the-Lord day today!  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”  

Oh by the way… I felt impressed to order my wife a dozen roses for Valentine’s Day that were delivered first thing this morning.  When I set them before her on the kitchen table, she suddenly awoke after drifting off to sleep (as I was helping her with breakfast), opened her eyes wide, took a look at the flowers and broke into a wide smile!  Then she turned and looked at me… and for a moment there… I saw those bright young eyes and lovely smile that were captured in that wedding photograph taken many years ago!  Isn’t God good!