It all began with a routine chest x-ray. My primary care physician went into partnership with another doctor, leaving the hospital-connected clinic where he had worked for a few years. Since the clinic would not release the patients medical records to him without paying for them, he was in the process of establishing a new record data base for all his patients, requiring us all to have a complete physical.
Neither the doctor nor I had any suspicion of a lung problem...it was a strictly routine x-ray...for the records. Other than having to drive into town to an imaging facility with which he was associated, I had no qualms whatsoever. Well...not until the x-rays were completed.
While the imaging tech was doing some related paperwork. I had just finished dressing in my street clothes, when my attention rested on a large screen on the other side of the room. On the screen was pictured what appeared to be an image of someone’s x-ray...lungs, acourse. My eyes widened as I saw that one lung appearing on the screen showed large white globs on one lung. Only a brief glance at the screen...and the nurse picked that time to say, “Come with me.” The “visual” had startled me so that I did not think to ask the tech what that was all about.
For days, that image haunted me. Those white globs could only mean the big C. By this time, I had convinced myself that it had to be my lungs on that screen. And so...I took it to the Lord. I asked for a miracle...for Him to grant me “the desires of my heart”...and promised that I would trust Him to grant the miracle...“in faith believing” that He would. And...I claimed every promise written in His Word about “asking and receiving.” I also promised to testify concerning the miracle...giving Him all the glory, honor and praise.
When nearly a month had passed and there was no word from my doctor concerning the x-ray, I assured myself that he would have called me to come in to to his office...if it had been my lungs portrayed on that screen. Well...you know us mortals. We tend to “lean on our own understanding”...and so, several possibilities came to mind.
Perhaps he had not called because he had not even seen the report from the imaging facility...the staff having just filed it in my folder when it came in! Or...since I had an appointment already set for the rest of my physical, he was waiting until then to give me the bad news. OR...that the report had been made on the wrong x-ray!
Though I continued to pray that my faith would not falter...as in, “Lord, I believe (trust); help my unbelief (trust)”...I found myself going to the Lord more and more to “remind” Him of my “miracle.” I still had nearly a month to go before my scheduled physical.
That He “works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform” is definitely a truism. Because He loves me so...it seems He decided to get me on in to see the doctor so I could get the doctor’s report on the x-ray. Enter a mild UTI (bladder infection).
From my chair in his office, I casually asked about the x-ray. He pulled out the report sent from the technician and said, “Everything looks fine. No problems at all.” I left the chair...not so casually! “That’s impossible! I saw that screen!” Then I described what I had seen.
He seemed a little concerned...maybe fearing himself that some mixup had occurred. But he assured me that he would be over at the imaging facility in a few days. He would look at the x-ray himself and give me a call. Gotta turn it loose again. This “trust” business takes some focus, I tell you!
Choosing to believe that God had provided my miracle, and whatever I had seen in that tech’s room had been some seriously dumb mistake, I came home...and “the hills were alive with the sound of music”! Not music, really...but praise and adoration! I was “home alone” and able to feel comfortable allowing the tears of gratitude to flow freely...rejoicing in the awesome love of our God for his “kids”!
Today...Monday, July 23, 2007...my doctor’s nurse called. “Hi, Mrs. Martin...your doctor wanted me to call you and tell you that he sat down today with the technician and personally reviewed your x-ray.”
With baited breath I waited. “He wanted me to assure you completely that everything is fine. He doesn’t know what you saw, but your lungs are in great shape. He insisted that I stress that to you.” I laughed, of course (he knows me well).
The news was anti-climactic...and it wasn’t. In so far as it is humanly possible, I had believed that the report was correct and my glance at the “visual” had been something we may never know the answer to. On the other hand, being typically human...I was grateful for the confirmation provided by my doctor, who had personally made it his business to provide it.
If you are ever prone to think that our God does not concern Himself with “little” things in our life...consider this. I was home alone...again... when the call from the doctor’s nurse came in.
Therefore, for the second time, I was able to praise and adore my Lord with complete abandon! That was no “accident” or “coincidence”! When I am here, my husband is almost always here. At times, someone else is here, too. He really cares!
He cares about all things...great and small...concerning His “kids.” The “small” in this case was His response and “arrangements” in consideration of my reticence to openly display deep emotions before others. The “large” is all about TRUST.
Remember the old saying, “Be careful what you pray for...you might get it”? Well, you see...I had been praying (previous to this saga) for an extra portion of TRUST...as in, “take it to Him and leave it with Him.”
I suspect that this x-ray-thing was a test...to increase my level of trust. If I am correct...it certainly worked!
If you have a better explanation for why I saw something no one else saw...chose to trust Him...and was rewarded with a miracle of kindness and mercy...you go for it!