Wasting Time

So there we sat, Tony and I and our new baby, Trevor.  I was 25 years old.  
“I’m sorry to tell you this, but the melanoma you had last year appears to have metastasized into your lungs.  You may not have long to live”
We drove home in a stupor and started worrying.  We were to come back for ‘further tests’ in about 4 days, when they could fit us in.
I remembered stumbling around the house carrying my newborn. Yes, Tony and I were strong in our faith and certain God was in control, but just what that meant, we weren’t sure.  All I could imagine was a young hunk widower on a seminary campus, interviewing a sea of eligible girls looking for an instant family……..
Friends, (Bob Gierhart to name one) dropped by to pray with us. That sorta made it even more real and I began to be almost hysterical.  But finally Tony and I were able to really get down to some serious prayer.  
The next morning we took more tests and suddenly they began backpedaling. “Well, it was there. Perhaps we were looking at a blood vessel face on.” Whether it was a case of mistaken identity or Divine intervention, I guess we won’t know this side of Heaven. What I do know is that there was a lot of time spent “what iffing” during those four days that could have been used for better things.
Recently I heard something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.
“Worry is a poor use of imagination”.
How simple is that?? NOTHING happened to me back then, I was as healthy as a horse, but I let fear take hold and almost died of fright!
This morning our missions pastor auctioned off a roll of toilet paper.
We all laughed, but the panic here in Australia, particularly in the realm of toilet paper, is real.  I’m not sure why, but everybody is buying and hoarding stuff because of the Corona thing.  How silly, all the information points to the fact that yes, it’s spreading and no, it’s not as dangerous as the common flu.
But we let our imaginations run wild.  
Jesus spoke over and over about worry.  “Who of you can add a hair to your head or an inch to your stature?  Who can add a day to his life and who can dress better than the lilies of the field?” and on and on. (Matthew 6:25-27, Luke 12:25)
Instead, The Psalmist commands us to “Cast our burdens of the Lord” (Psalms 55:22).
My imagination wants to run wild as we discuss with our doctors all the details of Tony’s soon-to-begin radiation therapy, but seriously, what can we do but trust Him? And give ourselves to thinking about what wonderful things also might be waiting for us?
So today, I want you to remember, DO NOT WORRY, because you’re just wasting your time.  Use your imagination to think of people coming to Christ, the world getting along with each other or even simple stuff like beautiful weather we had today or a baby’s smile I saw after church. 
And while you’re doing that, just give me a chance to go and count how many toilet paper rolls are in the cupboard…..
Seriously, I know there’s a lot of grief out there with some of you. Please know we’re praying for so many of you as you walk thru tough times, praying that you’ll remember that God is in control.
Have a good week!  
Marsha

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