Can I do this?

I had the best experience from an undesirable situation. But I don’t want to gross you out. Let’s see if I can share without offending you. Let me know if I succeed, please.

The date was set during the Christmas season last year. Not the best time of year, but then when is a good time for medical procedures? This was not my first rodeo. The last time was horrible and wound up making me sick. Just to find out if all my innards are as they should be.

The process began five days in advance of the doctor visit. Happenstantially, it was at this time that something jumped out to me from my Bible study. “Purification ceremony” presented itself for me to contemplate. My five-day advance took on new meaning. John chapter eleven, verse fifty-five is where I was reading.

A little back story for you to understand the scene I had read. This was prior to Jesus being crucified on the cross. It was during the Jewish Passover celebration. People came from all over to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in worship. The need was for the participants to be cleansed in order to meet the criteria of sacrificing.

Because I was on a special diet that would become more intense as the hospital arrival day neared—I latched onto this purification and took it personally. Literally, I was undergoing a cleansing. The day before was a clear liquid diet.

I was ready for what was coming, with anticipation. For the procedure itself, I’m unconscious. Although waking up is usually difficult, at least it would all be over. To my surprise, I woke up alert! The good news is all is well for me until five years when I get do a repeat performance. I’m not dreading it either.

1. More than once I discussed this with Jesus. Generally speaking, thinking is always worse than the actual ordeal.
2. The directions were different compared to my previous experience.
3. I prayed for an accepting heart to do what must be done.

What made the difference? Was it my nagging the Lord over this concern? The more palatable directions? Or praying for an accepting heart? My answer is yes to all of the above.

The things that concern us, are in Jesus’s wheelhouse. He’s got this. Stuff that we have no control over are his specialty.