Settleless in Seattle
God calls us a masterpiece. In fact, we are made in His image. When we face sickness, depression or even addiction, we don’t always feel like His masterpiece. This blog is about the time I was facing an intense illness.
Psalms 139:14 in the New King James Version says this about us:
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
In 2022 I was miraculously healed of Celiac Disease. During the 14 years that preceded my healing, there were many days that I did not “feel” like I was “fearfully and wonderfully” made. In fact, there were days that I felt like running and hiding from the pain. For those who have suffered from chronic pain, you know that it is impossible to run from the pain.
There was a day my wife and I were in Seattle when I had a severe attack. It was one of the worst episodes I had experienced. An ambulance came and took me to the hospital. The ride from where we were to UW Medical Center was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Once we arrived they didn’t know what was wrong but they knew they had to do something to help me with the pain. After a second dose of morphine things began to calm down.
Similar episodes went on for a couple of years before we received the correct diagnosis.
In early 2022 God miraculously touched me during a Saturday night service at our church. To be honest, I didn’t go into that weekend determined to be healed. In fact, I had come to the point where I was managing the pain, managing the emotions, managing the diet, managing the situations, managing to get by. I had actually become complacent, accepting my “lot in life”. After all, while it was uncomfortable, it wasn’t going to kill me! I had settled for sickness. I had rationalized my situation with the thought that God had used modern medicine to make my life bearable. I had unknowingly settled for less than God’s best for my life!
Today, you may be suffering physical or emotional chronic pain. I want to encourage you to keep contending for your healing. If you have come to a point where are accepting your condition, I want to encourage you to start contending again!
God is the Masterpiece Maker. We are His masterpieces! I love Psalm 139:14 because, contrary to the world’s standard, there have been countless masterpieces made. You are one of them!
If you or someone you love is facing a health challenge right now, here’s more good news!
Ephesians 2:10 in the English Standard Version declares this:
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
The same verse in The Passion Translation says it this way:
“We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!”
You and I are creations of the Most High God, created to fulfill our unique destiny! We can’t fulfill our destiny if we are held hostage by chronic pain. Regardless of what we settle for or how we mask the pain, God has placed destiny in you! Pursue it with all you have!
Today I invite you to receive communion and as you do, declare your healing; declare your freedom from bondage. Jesus’ body was broken so that ours doesn’t need to be and His blood was spilled for us! On the cross of Calvary He bore our sickness, disease and sin! You are free!
Here is a link to the full message I preached at our church testifying to the healing I received that wonderful, powerful evening. I encourage you to watch and be stirred in your faith!