POST TRANSPLANT REFLECTIONS

If you’ve been following my blog posts then you know that almost two weeks ago now I donated a kidney to a friend from church.  I’ve wanted to write some follow ups but just haven’t had the physical or mental energy. Despite my sometimes flagging energy, I can’t believe that I feel so good so soon after major surgery. 

Jennifer, my kidney recipient, has received glowing reports about her health. The doctor told her her recovery has been remarkable!  We are SO thankful that the Lord continues to be faithful and answer prayer.  If you are one who has been praying for us, then thank you so much and may the Lord bless you abundantly!

One of the things I did do this week was attend worship at church.  Wow, what a welcome home I received!  Not long ago I wrote a blog about the beauty of the Body of Christ. Jennifer and I have had a front row seat on the receiving end of their love.

Jennifer and I had been the recipients of the love of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ long before the transplant, but since the surgery they've swung into high gear.  They have certainly prayed for us, but they also ran to the airport to collect family members.  They have made and delivered delicious meals, fit for royalty, and in abundant supply.  They have sent cards and brought flowers.  They have visited.  They have stayed overnight to see to Jennifer’s needs. One of them in the media industry even put us in touch with TV news so that Jennifer and I could get God’s story “out there”.  Our church family has loved us with the love of Jesus in every way.  They are an awesome, living demonstration of the way the unity of the Body of Christ is supposed to be lived out.

But the true Star of our faith experience has been the Lord Himself.  In this week  of enthusiasm dampened by discomfort and weariness, of disrupted sleep and a foggy brain, I’ve just been resting in His nearness and the comfort of His presence.  Being in church yesterday, singing the praises of Jesus, lifted my spirit to remember Who IS all, and above all, and I worshiped:

God who is sovereign.  Sovereign over 66 year old kidneys that looked and worked like 35 year olds! Who knew???  I certainly hadn’t done a single thing to whip those kidneys into good physical shape!

Sovereign over diseased kidneys that didn’t give out until a donor was in place.

Sovereign over the lives of two people – one who need a kidney and another who “happened” to be in the same church and could part with one.

God is sovereign over events, and time, and place, and people.  He would be sovereign whether or not we ever “saw” or acknowledged His sovereignty, but when He gives us a glimpse of it, we are awestruck!

God who is faithful.  Faithful to hear and answer the prayer of His servants.  Jennifer and I have not been carried through these months, and especially these last 2 weeks, because people have been faithful to pray.  People HAVE been faithful to pray, but we were carried through because God is faithful to answer.

He faithfully answered prayer.  He faithfully met us at every single point of need – whether spiritual, emotional or physical.  He faithfully provided through His people, so that we could rest, have rides, have someone to change bandages, guard our rest, see to it that we and our families were fed. 

God who is the Prince of Peace.  The Old Testament prophet Isaiah, in chapter 9, the passage we have all heard around Christmas time, describes the Messiah as, among other things, the “Prince of Peace”.  Jesus says, “My peace I give to you”.

In Philippians 4:6-7 the Apostle Paul says:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Our God, who is faithful, proved the reality of Paul’s words in Jennifer’s heart and mine these last few weeks.  He was our peace when we were both facing surgery.  His peace defied human understanding.  We enjoyed peace when fear would have been the human and logical response.  His peace guarded our hearts and minds keeping us focused on Jesus.

The perfect illustration of that was on the day of surgery when two emergency transplants during the night pushed our surgery from 1:30 to 5:30 PM.  Instead of worrying or entertaining second thoughts, we visited and joked and loved on one another and our families.  The pre-op time was filled with joyful anticipation.

It has occurred to me that some of you reading these blogs might be thinking –Why would I want to follow Jesus if He asks people to do things like donate kidneys? 

Well, calm down. The truth is the vast majority of Christians have never been given the opportunity to donate a kidney!  But following Jesus IS a commitment – a commitment of a life, a commitment of a lifetime.  A commitment to a Savior and Master.  A commitment to follow where He leads wherever that is, and surprise of surprises, finding that when you do, there is joy, and peace, and a deep sense of satisfaction, and a knowledge of Jesus - not just in your head, but in your experience - that makes Him REAL!

Dear friend, never be afraid of joining your life to that of Jesus.  There is no other life worth living.