When One Hurts, We All Hurt

Our pastor informed our congregation today of this news:

"Dann, a member of the Sovereign Grace Church in Pasadena was in a serious car accident very early Wednesday morning. He is a pilot for Southwest Airlines and was driving his VW van from the Oakland Airport. I do not have details of the accident except that the van rolled and his head hit the windshield and steering wheel very hard. He suffered a broken clavicle, L-3 vertebrae, and a skull fracture.

"He was rushed to the UC Davis Medical Center where he is still being treated. There have been encouraging signs indicating no paralysis (responding to commands and able to move hands and legs) but the immediate concern was to relieve the swelling of the brain. After a four hour surgery yesterday afternoon, the swelling was down.

"I received a call telling me that the swelling had increased this morning. I do not understand how swelling is measured but to give you some reference, the swelling was in the 20’s shortly after the accident, was down to less than 10 last evening, but this morning went back up in the 20’s.

Please take some time today to pray for God’s mercy and power, asking for the swelling to go down and for our friend's full recovery.

"Thank you for praying."


Additionally, Diane sent this e-mail to us:

"Steve reminded me last night that Dann read Psalm 34 in church on Sunday. I woke up this morning and was reading it and was freshly reminded of God's kindness even in the midst of what feels like a devastating circumstance.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me,

and let us exalt his name together!
I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

"How kind of God to remind us all, through Dann, of His unending faithfulness and His compassionate care for us. God knew what we needed to hear.

"Seeking the Lord, together with you." ~ Diane

looking out

How do I prepare?

Lord, would you please tell me what is going to happen next?

I feel as if there are so many things "in the wings", just waiting to happen.
I am sitting in the audience. There is so much going on "behind the scenes"
All I can do is observe – and wait. I have never been good at waiting.
The anticipation is starting.
Michelle having her baby... Katy's future and Katy's Future.
Mom living with us, for how long?
Dad declining...sometimes quickly. Chris coping.
Did I leave anything out?

How So?

All mankind would have been eternally lost, had God not, of His own free grace and mercy, made a covenant of grace with poor sinners.

"They will be My people, and I will be their God."

Jeremiah 32:38

This is a comprehensive promise, for God to be our God--it includes all.

The covenant of grace is an agreement, which God has made with sinful man, out of His mere mercy and grace, wherein He undertakes for fallen man, to make himeverlastingly happy. God engages that He will be our God; that is, as if He said, "You shall have an interest in all My attributes for your good:

My grace shall be yours to pardon you,
My power shall be yours to protect you,
My wisdom shall be yours to direct you,
My goodness shall be yours to relieve you,
My mercy shall be yours to supply you,
My glory shall be yours to crown you."

"I will make an everlasting covenant with them; that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put My fear into their hearts-- that they shall not depart from Me."

Jeremiah. 32:40

The covenant of grace is everlasting on God's part, and also on our part. On God's part, "I will never turn away from them to do them good." And on our part, "they shall never depart from Me." How so? "I will put My fear into their hearts--that they shall not depart from Me." That they shall persevere, and hold out to the end--I will so deeply rivet a reverent dread of Myself in their souls--as shall cause them to believe, love, repent, obey, cling and cleave, and keep close to Me forever.

O sirs! this is the glory of the covenant of grace--that whatever God requires on man's part, that He undertakes to perform for man!

"I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances."

Ezek. 36:25-27

Thomas Brooks, Parasdise Opened, 1675