Carl DeLine

Day one, week thirty eight, year 2017. Today is Sunday September 17, a day of nurturing meditation and spirituality.

Good Morning. My name is Carl and I am being coached by Grace. It is the Grace of God that stands behind us, is to the right of us, to the left of us and opens doors before us. (If you are comfortable repeat that statement using your own name.)

The introductory process is to read the scripture. Each time a thought is prompted, write it down creating a prayer concerning your life situation.

Exodus 14:19-31 and Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21 • Genesis 50:15-21 and Psalm 103:(1-7), 8-13 • Romans 14:1-12 • Matthew 18:21-35

Prayer:

Lord, as I read the text I am immediately charged with voices of doubt. None of this could have happened. Then I think, I am not here to argue the validity of the words but invited to understand the validity of my own story.

Lord, teach me to hear words that give validity to my own story.

Lord, teach me to have the willingness to share my own story.

Lord, I am amazed at what comes to me once I start listening. Once I walk the steps of the story, once I sing the words, once I insert my own words, I feel different.

Lord, I now laugh as I begin to sing the song I learned as a child. How many words, how many stories. How many times have I stood at the doorway of death, laid in its bed and then walked away! Lord you have one more task, one more verse to add to the song. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me! Bless His Holy name.

Be free to live in me with your grace and forgiveness so I can be free to live in you with your grace and forgiveness.

Please write your words of prayer as you read the scripture.

Music: It is said music is the universal language. As I was reading and praying I kept getting interrupted with the words of this first song:

“Bless the Lord, O My Soul”

“Tell Your Heart To Beat Again”

There were so many uncertainties in my life during my college days.

This song by Ray Hildebrand constantly filled my mind.

To some He gave the gift of prophecy,
To me He gave a song.
To His children, He gives the gift of love.
To share as they pass along.
Doubts and fear, they come from down below,
So when you way is dim.
Just look in the Book,
I’ll tell you where to look: Romans ten, nine and ten.

Chorus:

If I live, well, praise the Lord.
If I die, well, praise the Lord.
If I live or die, my only cry will be,
Jesus in me, praise the Lord.

The love He gives lasts for eternity,
Cast all your cares on him.
He died on the cross to save you from sin,
And then He rose again.
The Christian life is more than a quality,
It’s Jesus Christ the man.
It’s saying Lord, I give myself to You.
It’s saying, here I am.

Chorus repeat.

Meditation: Tell Your Own Story

I began reading the text for this morning. No sooner than I started reading then my mind said, not this again! How can you believe this about an angel? How many of you really believe? How many times have I cried out and asked, petitioned for help that never came.

Then I remembered the day the diagnosis came. I was in the hospital. A few days before I had a severe temperature. The nurses kept me in an ice bath. They were changing the sheets every couple hours. The temperature finally broke. The pain was excruciating. The nurse filled me with the last pain killer she was allowed to administer. She said no more it will kill you.

Later that day a young lady wearing a red and white stripped uniform walked into the room. She asked how she could help. In tears I said ask the nurse for more pain killer. She went to get the nurse. The young lady came back. She stood by the railing, in tears she said, I am so sorry. You can not have any more, it will kill you. Then she sat in the chair gripping the railing crying her eyes out. In a moment she said I am so sorry. She squeezed the railing as she ran out of the room. She was sobbing. As she let go of the railing her hand then ran across the blanket covering me. As she left the room I realized the pain had left my body. A bit later the nurse came in. I thanked her for sending the young girl. She said “what girl?” I described her. The nurse said “Carl we gave up using that uniform over 20 years ago.”

Was this young girl an angel? You will not hear me say she was. You will never hear me deny she couldn’t have been.

Tell your own story. We live in a world that needs all the miracles we can get. We need all the helpful intervention we can get.

The next part of the story is about the day after.

It is your story. Israel built a stairway to God by telling both Joseph’s and Moses’s story. But Moses and Joseph could not have built what became the people of Israel. It had to be the People of Israel who by telling their story would see the miracle happen.

The words of the scripture remind us of human nature. Ultimately the words of Jesus call us to a skidding stop. Forgiveness, nurturing and living is what the story becomes about. As people work together, as people formed their own support groups they did have their problems. In time they claimed land and wealth. At times they warred against each other but the mandate was never surrendered.

The battle to defeat long term illnesses, to defeat sarcoidosis has a similar history. I remember when we were small. I now see our tribes, our groups seeing accelerated growth. I now understand what it is to wake up the next day. I understand the value of every life lost in this battle. I understand the power of the story. I understand the battle is not lost. I understand the miracle of the angel. I understand there is so much beyond us. I also understand this battle will be won.

A Closing Thought:

A child’s memory, “Bless the Lord O My Soul”