Friday, August 19, 2011

August 19, 2011 (Day 93) Rivers of Living Water

It was about a month ago that while I was reading my devotion for that day that God spoke to me to flip forward to read September 7th’s devotional. At that point it was set as Jackson’s due date. As I flipped through the pages and landed on September 7th, I started to read in amazement one of the biggest promises that God has ever given to me. I read it over and over and sat there in one of the most powerful times I have had with God. I shared this promise with only my husband and my sister Amy and then when I woke up this morning God stirred in my heart to read over it again and to share.

The promise comes from John 4:14-
“The water that I shall give to him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

As I began to read the devotional under this verse in My Utmost for His Highest, I was blown away. An astonishing 19 times in a small three paragraph devotional writing were the exact words and phrases that our doctors have been using to describe Jackson’s heart medically. These very words such as flow, vital, obstructing, steady, and defect are words that have been tossed around his medical condition for the last several months each leaving its own stinging effect with it. Each time we hear these words they are associated with odds, charts, and diagrams of his “special” heart.

I sat there in amazement as God led me through these very same words but in the form of a promise for my son. Rather than the words leaving a painful stamp on my heart, the words gave me peace and comfort as God gave me a promise that out of my son “would flow rivers of living water.” That he would not be defined by his heart medically, but by the very way in which he receives blessings and pours them out freely. That his life would not be one that is hindered and lifeless, but that God would use all the unknowns of his life to create a beautiful fountain in which others would see the love of a Savior.

 I have clung to this promise in my good days and my bad, trying hard to fight against the doubt and fear. I have a God that knows me so personally and knows every detail of our situation that He would lead me to a library shelf to pick out a book, to flip to a page that was dated the doctors choice for Jackson’s birth, and fall to my knees in awe of what He is going to do through our little boy. That in the midst of feeling helpless He would declare victory over Jackson’s life and claim him for His own. The love of a Savior, the compassion of my God, the care of my Heavenly Father, never ceases to amaze me. In my hardest days, I hear “and out of him will flow rivers of living water” and I cling to the very promise that Jesus Christ has marked my son’s life with an awesome plan. One that will spring forth life where there is none and shower forth blessings to the nations.

2 comments:

  1. Your strength and faith is amazing and inspirational Kathryn. John 4:14 was one of your Uncle Jake's favorite and he stood on that promise throughout his illness. I'm sure he is very proud of you for standing strong on God's Word.

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  2. Kathryn, I love your sensitivity to hearing the Lord and your beautiful way of expressing your faith -- so inspirational to so many! I have been following your blog and praying for you and your family for quite some time now. Thanks so much for sharing, sister!

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