Dear Faith Family,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me, and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24).

What a humbling ordeal.  Rewind.  On November 3^rd I discovered my Covid parting gift.  I was fifteen days into feeling all “covidish” (translated “whipped”) when my I told my doctor about what felt like a Charley horse in my leg.  His reply?  “I don’t think it’s anything but let’s go ahead and get it checked out.”  So, thankfully (you’ll understand my thankfulness shortly), my doctor set up an ultrasound test at the hospital for that very night.

How many of us would have said, “no thank you, I’m not interested in another test”?  Would any of us simply dismissed the Charley horse as nothing but a Charley horse?  Still others might have been eager, even anxious, to move forward and have the test in order to know exactly what was wrong.

Well, what a helpful technician.  He met me at the hospital.  Explained what he was doing and then even showed me his monitor.  Apparently, the arteries are high pressure. The veins are low pressure.  So, when you apply pressure the arteries will not collapse.  The veins will.  However, if there is a blockage in a vein, it will collapse under pressure.  Guess what?!  The vein in my calf would not collapse and the technician announced: “Well, you have a deep vein thrombosis.  Yikes!

I sure wish that he hadn’t told me that.  In fact, I wish I didn’t even know!  NOT!  I did want to know and I’m thankful that I do know.  I’m thankful for a doctor who ordered the test and for a technician who administered the test.  Why?  So that the clot could be dissolved.  Undissolved, the clot can wreak all kinds of havoc including a stroke.

So, what’s the point?  Well, after being overwhelmed with our sovereign, omniscient God, David (Psalm 139) asked God to do an ultrasound.  David wanted God to find any blood clots (translated: things that need to be removed from or redirected in his life).

Question:  Are we avoiding God’s ultrasound?  We can call it: “We’re too busy right now. We don’t have time to look into the monitor of God’s Word right now.”  Could it be because we don’t understand the value of what He’s doing?  Or maybe we don’t know our Technician?  He is the Great Physician!

Another question:  Are we ignoring His test results?  It’s called denial.  You know, like when we tell ourselves that the findings are not that bad.  Especially when we compare ourselves with someone who has “really bad” test results.  Or, when we convince ourselves that it will dissolve on its own.  Or when we talk ourselves into believing that it won’t cause any other damage in our lives.

One more question:  Are we embracing His test results?  Think about it for a minute.  God’s end isn’t to simply point out failure in our lives.  Instead, He, the Great Physician, wants to continue in us the work that He began!  That’s the end of the Psalm:  lead me in the way everlasting!

My end goal wasn’t to get the ultrasound test results.  I did not get a copy of the test results to frame and hang over the fireplace.  No!  I wanted to know what to do about the clot in my leg.  Thankfully I have a doctor who knows what to do.  So do you (have the Great Physician who knows what to do that is)!  Do you want to know what your Great Physician wants to do?

This coming Sunday we will begin a series on the book of Ezra on “Rebuilding”.  Will you pray Psalm 139:23-24 along with David in preparation for what our God wants to do in your life?

Under His care,
Pastor Karl