Ask Him

My nephew, Conner, was 19 mos old when he pulled a gallon of hot tea down on himself last February. The hot liquid ran off the back of his head, down his neck and back, slowing at his diaper before running down his leg onto the floor. He stood there in the puddle, shocked and crying while his mommy who was just steps away hurried to comfort him. I'll spare you the heartbreaking details on the condition of his skin that made it apparent emergency medical attention would be needed. After being treated in the ER at the first hospital, Conner was transported by ambulance to the burn unit in a reputable hospital about two hours away. Even then, the gravity of the situation was not fully revealed. On that ambulance ride, Conner's skin continued to redden in new places and it was only the next day that the first mention of a possible skin graft was made. Weeks of doctor's visits and the best of wound care by his parents appeared to be promising for a time, but eventually everyone agreed to what FIVE doctors had said.... that this alone would not repair the skin on his little leg. There were two spots that were completely white.....no life. After yet another check-up on that Thursday, the family was instructed to bring him in for surgery the following Monday, to patch the dead skin with new skin from another part of his body. Having four days to prepare for such a thing, we read up on skin grafting. Let's just say that this surgery can sometimes leave worse scarring and more problems than the original injury! I had just come out of a Bible study on prayer, and on asking the impossible. My sister and I agreed in prayer for Conner's skin to be healed without surgery. I didn't know what would happen, but it was worth asking! In times of trial, when you DON'T know things, you start counting the things you DO know...... I knew God had made that little boy's skin in the first place, and I knew He could make it new again. I knew God loved Conner, and that He loved us. We asked for the impossible.

Reading King Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple reminded me of asking for the impossible. He prayed in 6:18, "But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You." It seemed impossible that God could somehow dwell among men, and still be God. But, Solomon knew God wanted to move in their neighborhood.....he knew God desired to hear their prayers and protect and provide for them. I heard a sermon once entitled "From the Cloud to the Temple". In essence, God's people were asking Him to move in permanently! What was God's answer to this??? Verse 7:1 says, "When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven....and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." Amen! I hope I never feel worthy enough to explain how God can do what He does. I pray I never feel that I can answer for Him.

We read about God's appearance to Solomon in the night, after that temple dedication, and how He made that wonderful promise that we still claim today, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." King Solomon went on to many wonderful things for the Lord and for His glory.

I was thinking....David didn't want the reason that his infant son died to be because he didn't ask for God to change His decision. Hezekiah didn't want the reason he died early (in his mind) to be because he didn't ask for an extension. Joshua didn't want the reason he lost the war to be because darkness fell and that he didn't ask for three more hours of daylight. And, I didn't want the reason Conner had to go through that surgery to be because we didn't ask for a miracle, either! We know God can do it, He's told us to ask. Whether we will, or whether He will is another story. But, since we can't possibly know the mind of God, shouldn't we err on the side of asking too much than not enough?

By the way, God did heal Conner's skin that day. The doctor pulled the bandages back that Monday morning and marveled at the little pink speckles of blood all through that snow white skin! You've never seen a Mama so glad to see blood in her life, I'm sure. So, go ahead and ask God for that miracle. He just might be waiting on you to ask....