Our family is working puzzles again. And that's never a good thing because we only work puzzles as we nervously wait in hospitals. This past week we worked three big puzzles which means we've been at Immanuel nonstop for some time now. The good news is our puzzle-working days are numbered (just a few more) as Sherri's dad Howard is on the road to recovery.
This past week we've also learned new terms like embolus and thrombus. To be exact we have learned that a saddle embolism is a blockage which has moved to straddle both lungs and deep vein thrombosis is a dangerous blood clot which could become a deadly embolism (a clot on the move!). And we've learned that when you have a large saddle embolism restricting blood flow and a deep vein thrombosis you shouldn't buy green bananas if you know what I mean.
Most importantly we learned that we have experienced a miracle healing. I'd say it is a healing of Lazurus proportions. The doctors tell us they don't see many embolisms like Sherri's dad has, that really these would be much more common for a coroner to see. In fact, some have said this is the largest embolism they have ever seen survived. Doctors and nurses gather to see something they have never seen before so large on the scans and x-rays. So again I say this is a healing miracle of Lazarus proportions.
Howard does something kind of funny with each of his grandkids. He often calls them by their first name and adds his name as their middle name. A couple of the grandkids Caleb and Alex already have Howard as a middle name. For the girls it's kinda funny to hear Howard as their middle name. His great-grandchild Kenadae gets it and I'm sure new little Mia will as well. Based on this healing I'm changing Howard's middle name to Lazarus- Howard Lazarus sorta has a ring to it.
I'm sure you know the story of Lazarus. How Lazarus had died and how Jesus brought him back to life. But as Paul Harvey would say, do you know 'the rest of the story'? This amazing historical event is recorded so beautifully and is absolutely chocked full of life lessons for us. There is so much to the rest of this story that I would ask you to closely read it again (John 11). Here is a bit of the rest of the story for me, especially in light of our own miracle.
Jesus delivers some of His most powerful words for us in performing this miracle. He tells His disciples they are going to Bethany and Lazarus and that what will happen there will build their (and our) faith. Jesus also uses this occasion to provide great comfort to all those who have suffered loss saying, 'I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die.' Martha says she believes these words and adds a wonderful profession of faith. Then Jesus with a brief tear, gives us a resurrection preview of sorts, bringing Lazarus back to life. 'Lazarus' means 'God has helped' and the name certainly fits this man from Bethany and a man in Omaha some 2000 years later.
I bet Lazarus felt better than ever after his resurrection. I bet his knee didn't hurt anymore and his eyesight was perfect again. When Jesus heals, body parts listen. Some time later Jesus returns for a dinner with Lazarus and Martha and Mary. And John writes that folks come from all over to see Jesus AND Lazarus as they recline at the table. They loved seeing their old friend alive and hearing about his miracle healing. My guess is they treasured any time they could spend with him from then on. We know that exact, that very feeling now from our own personal experience.
We don't hear from or about Lazarus again. What we do know is that his earthly life did finally come to an end and that Jesus used Lazarus' healing to build faith- and to show the glory of God. I pray the same thing happens today, that all who know and love Howard Lazarus will come and visit and be strengthened in their faith because 'God has helped' him. God promises one day we will all get a resurrection experience. Until then, we give thanks for awesome miracle healings (including that of Howard Lazarus), for the gift of faith and for the blessing of God's help. I pray you experience each of these in your life.
Blest Regards,
Keith
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