Deliverance

Looking at G's life, you wouldn't think that he had been delivered from trouble. Trouble seemed to be a present companion.

Abused as a child by his father.

Teased for his weight in elementary and middle school.

Near suicide attempt as a teenage.

Pilonidal cyst senior year requiring surgery and 6 weeks laying on his stomach.

Trying everything he could to find himself freshman year of college and being brought back to despair.

Fainting on campus sophomore year and being told by doctors that all was well with his heart.

Cardiac arrests that led to being life-flighted and getting an implantable cardiac defibrillator just two months after proposing to me. Again being told all would be fine.

Worsening health, countless procedures on his heart, pilonidal cyst surgery again and gall bladder removal (and a horrible surgeon).

False diagnosis and an unnecessary open heart surgery that led to a lot of PTSD.

Being listed for a heart transplant.

Living in the hospital and nearly dying at age 25.

Heart transplant received but life dramatically changed.

Severe depression, medications leading to complications and so many new issues.

Antibody mediated rejection of his heart leading to chemotherapy-type of treatments.

Fertility struggles.

Suicidal thoughts.

Gout, lung problems, kidney problems, pre-diabetic, etc.

Worsening health, being belittled and not believed by doctors.

Immense suffering.

Death at age 35.

That does not look like deliverance.

But I was reminded this morning that in the midst of all of this suffering and pain and hardship, Jesus did deliver him. Because right in the middle of Freshman year of college, when he was yet again at a low point of despair and hopelessness, Jesus rescued him. Not from his circumstances (which clearly got worse in many ways) but from separation from his Heavenly Father and condemnation for sin.

Psalm 54 says:

"Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life." (vs. 4)

"For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies" (v 7)

The ESV Devotional Psaltar says this, "Perhaps you think, "I can't possibly pray what David prays to end the psalm, announcing deliverance from all my troubles." But if you are in Christ, consider that amid all your present troubles, God has delivered you from the only enemy who could really harm you, the one enemy who could harm your soul, eternally, in hell. He has delivered you from Satan and the sting of death."

G was delivered. Not in this life, but he was delivered. Not in his circumstances. Not from his suffering here. But from his eternal suffering and separation from God. He was delivered in all the ways that truly and eternally matter. And it may be the very suffering that I wish he never had to endure, that Jesus used to bring a bigger, fuller, better deliverance.

And now? G has no trouble. No suffering. No fear. No separation from God.

He is well, at peace, full, with his Father.

"

All is well, and will be well, and is well."