You’re at your best when you’re up and dressed!

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my HEART; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. (NKJV) Emphasis mine.

The picture above in this “Brief Word”, was taken from a ward at Tauranga hospital.  I was there.  Just last week.  As a patient!

Just over a week ago, I had some chest pains.  We know now to take them seriously, so – short story – I was taken to hospital.  There they did all the usual tests constantly over the next three days; blood tests, ECG’s, pulse, blood pressure, and more questions and examinations.

Some of the staff were not convinced it was heart trouble, but one young Doctor (and as I am getting older some of these medical staff seem so young!), wasn’t happy about one little abnormality on my ECG, so keeps me in overnight.

On the strength of that, the cardiologist Doctor, also unsure what it was schedules an angiogram for the next day.  That showed a 100% blocked artery at the bottom of my heart.  “You’ve had a heart attack”, the Doctor said.

However, it is a small artery, and is in a position where they can’t put in a stent (I had two stents put in two main arteries four years ago), plus it is a small artery.

They decided treatment would be drugs (mainly blood thinners) and lifestyle; plus one thing they can’t prescribe, the grace of God!

I’m home now, and recovering.  Energy levels are down, but coming right.  As I said last heart attack, my fuel tank is smaller, and it takes longer to fill up!  But thankfully that is improving.

I am very thankful to the Lord for His Word, His presence and healing power, and for my wonderful family and loved ones.

While I was there in hospital, I saw the sign, “You’re at your best when you’re up and dressed!”.  Hospital staff encourage patients to get up and get dressed and move about.  It does help you feel better, spirit, soul and body.

I was struck by an amazing truth!  When you’re not well, but (well enough to) get up and get dressed, you do feel better.  How much more, when we get up, and no matter how we’re feeling, dress ourselves with God’s presence and dress ourselves with His Word!  What a difference that makes!

Hospitals are not my favourite place.  They have amazing, caring, professional, skilled staff, BUT, they also have procedures there, and needles, and scary machines that delve into your body!  I admit, I have my Diploma on Woos!

But, this last week, God’s Word was an incredible source of peace, comfort and encouragement.

On Sunday ‘waiting’, for Monday’s angiogram to come around, I read this:

Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (NKJV).

Thank you Lord!

On the Monday before the angiogram, I read this:

Psalms 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (2 Kings 18:4  NKJV)

Thank you Lord!

Then when I got home, and was feeling like I’d just been drained of all remaining energy, I read this:

Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (NKJV).

God is so good!

I was reminded of that sign I’d seen in the ward.  “You’re at your best when you’re up and dressed!”.

It’s true.  We’re at our best when we’re clothed with His Word, clothed with His Holy Spirit, clothed with His Peace, clothed with Him!  That lifts us, elevates us, spirit, soul and body.

Remember the Word of God is our sword!  Swords when they’re used, do stuff!  They clear the way, they destroy our enemies, they bring fear to those they’re wielded against.  That is exactly what happens when we “wield”; use, speak out, declare, release, appropriate the Word of God.

And God is so good, He has a way of bringing to us just the right ‘Word’ at just the right time, for just the right occasions, to achieve just the right result.

I’m a great believer in process.  When we have process, or regular habits, things we do no matter what as part of our day, results come easier.  It works that way with the input of the Word of God.  When we have a habit, a regular process of connecting with the Word of God, even though small, it is an avenue for the Lord to bring to us that Rhema Word at just the right time.

It is not a religious process, it is a relationship!

Nothing is a surprise to God.  Nothing scares Him.  Nothing sneaks up on Him and catches Him unawares.  Nothing comes out of the blue for Him.  Nothing  catching catches Him asleep.  Nothing catches Him without a plan.  Nothing has Him wringing His hands wondering what to do.

Life can do all of that to us.  But not to The Lord!  He is Omnipotent, He is Omniscient.  He is all powerful, and He is all knowing.

His complete knowledge of our life’s affairs before and after they happen, means He is scheduling angels to minister to us, He’s sending His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Peace, Power and Comfort, to speak and minister to us right at the right time.

What a Father we have who LOVES us unsearchably.  What a Son who gave Himself and became our sin so that we can be forgiven, the greatest expression of GRACE.  What a Holy Spirit who is WITH us, and though eternal and Divine, goes through life with us and beside us!

I pray that as you clothe yourself with His Word, with the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Power), with His Presence and Promises, and put on your armour, you’ll know His peace and joy and healing!

Yes it’s true.  “You’re at your best when you’re up and dressed!”.