Dear Family and Friends,
I wanted to give you a quick update just to give you something more specific to pray about today and tomorrow.
I just got a message from my sister saying that Dad's creatin level is now up to 4.1. I think that normal is 1.3 or somewhere around there. The doctor is saying that he is heading in the direction of needing to be on dialysis if it were to get any worse. He also mentioned that it is possible that he would need to be on dialysis even after the stent, depending on how the surgery goes and how well the stent works. This is one of our greatest fears, knowing that dialysis would significantly alter my parents' life and their dreams.
Just before receiving my sister's email, I was reading Ex. 17 and Matthew Henry's commentary to prepare to lead Bible Study today. These are Henry's words . . .
17:8-16 Israel engaged with Amalek in their own necessary defense. God makes his people able, and calls them to various services for the good of his church. Joshua fights, Moses prays, both minister to Israel. The rod was held up, as the banner to encourage the soldiers. Also to God, by way of appeal to him. Moses was tired. The strongest arm will fail with being long held out; it is God only whose hand is stretched out still. We do not find that Joshua's hands were heavy in fighting, but Moses' hands were heavy in praying; the more spiritual any service is, the more apt we are to fail and flag in it. To convince Israel that the hand of Moses, whom they had been chiding, did more for their safety than their own hands, his rod than their sword, the success rises and falls as Moses lifts up or lets down his hands. The church's cause is more or less successful, as her friends are more or less strong in faith, and fervent in prayer. Moses, the man of God, is glad of help. We should not be shy, either of asking help from others, or of giving help to others. The hands of Moses being thus stayed, were steady till the going down of the sun. It was great encouragement to the people to see Joshua before them in the field of battle, and Moses above them on the hill. Christ is both to us; our Joshua, the Captain of our salvation, who fights our battles, and our Moses, who ever lives, making intercession above, that our faith fail not.
Thank you again for your intersession for my Dad, for us.
Peace to you,
Lisa VZ