Sorry for the late blog post – my sister Melannie and I have been moving into our place in Calgary and it’s been so crazy that I forgot yesterday was Wednesday!

-Megan

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Today’s devotional courtesy of Alistair Begg:

God is sovereign, and therefore we can make bold choices.

As any nurturing figure would do, Naomi wanted her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth to be settled and cared for in life. So she urged Ruth to go to Boaz and ask him to assume the role of provider by marrying her.

Of course, we must be careful not to read too many contemporary notions into this Old Testament story, since that era had its own set of customs.

However, we must also remember that this was the real life of real people in a real Middle-Eastern village meeting a real God and committing their lives unreservedly to Him. As such, there are eternal truths to be learned. Primarily, we can learn that while God’s providence rules over our lives, it does not limit our freedom in making decisions. God’s overruling sovereignty did not hinder Naomi’s reasoning or Ruth’s response. The Lord was sovereign over all of it, but not at the expense of their choices.

The story of Ruth is also a reminder that even when mistakes alter our lives, God redeems them for our ultimate good and His glory. Naomi’s husband should not have moved his family from the promised land to the land of Moab, the enemies of God’s people; and her sons should not have married Moabite women, since God’s law prohibited marrying into other religions. Yet these wrong choices brought Ruth to Naomi, to God, and into the line of redemptive history as an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew 1:1-6). Such redemption is not an excuse for our intentional rebellion, but it is a constant assurance that we need not despair because of past mistakes.

Equally, God’s sovereignty in weaving His plan of redemption, first in bringing His Son into the world and then in calling His people to faith in Him, is a constant assurance as we face decisions and consider this or that course of action. We trust God through faith-filled action. Naomi didn’t just sit in her house waiting on God to act, saying, Whatever God wills will be. No, she took action by encouraging Ruth to take the next step in what seemed to be unfolding.

Trusting God’s providence does not mean we sit back and wait for the plan to unfold, singing Que será, será—whatever will be, will be—for “the future’s not ours to see.” Instead, we should be quoting Jesus’ words: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). After Jesus prayed this prayer, He proceeded to live it out in perfect obedience, even to the point of death.

The path of life may have many twists and turns, but God’s word promises that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Take heart in this promise. Are you facing a decision? Are you wondering what path to take? God is sovereign, and God saves. Whatever you decide, live boldly and live freely within the comfort of God’s providence.

Today’s Updates:

Zach has still been very sleepy over the past few days, sometimes sleeping through transfers to his wheelchair, getting dressed, and moving through the hospital so that he is still asleep when he goes down for his speech or physio sessions. The doctors checked for any underlying causes of his fatigue like infection, but everything looks clear so far. Praise God that Zach is free from infection and staying healthy in this regard. The doctors are going to adjust Zach’s medications a bit to see if they are affecting his wakefulness. Zach recently has gotten agitated a few times, like when he had to go down for an x-ray. Pray for peace for Zach so that he will be able to trust his care team and the people around him even when he feels scared.

We met with the whole care team yesterday for a family meeting, where all the specialists defined their goals for Zach’s next steps and treatments. Physiotherapy and OT want to focus on building Zach’s trunk strength and upper body muscles to work towards being able to sit up and perform some daily functions.

Speech is still working on establishing a consistent communication system with Zach. Since Zach has trouble identifying objects (aphasia), they’re going to shift their focus to a more reading-based approach. They’re trying to get Zach to improve in his breath control still as a first step towards vocalizing again. They also want him to improve in his ability to swallow. On Monday, they gave him some pudding and applesauce. Zach really enjoyed the taste of these foods, but they’re still not satisfied with how reliably he’s swallowing yet, and he doesn’t always open his mouth wide enough to eat the puréed foods. Zach is now scheduled to have two speech sessions every day since they have so many goals they want to work towards. Please pray that Zach will be able to improve in his ability to eat, drink, speak, and communicate.

The care team also spoke about the long-term plan for Zach’s care. Zach’s current neuro rehab unit is meant for short-term stays (usually 4-8 weeks). It’s not yet clear where Zach will go once he’s discharged from this unit. One option is the Halvor Johnson facility, which is a longer term center for brain injury recovery. This facility only accepts certain patients who they think would benefit from slow-stream neurological rehab. This facility is in Ponoka, which is a two hour drive north of Calgary, so it would come with obstacles for family support, but it is the only facility in Alberta that would allow Zach to receive neuro rehab care for a longer time. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and care team as they investigate options for Zach’s long term care. Pray that Zach will continue to receive the care that he needs, wherever God sends him. Pray also for wisdom and clarity for Zach’s family as we face many decisions in the coming weeks and months. Thank you for your prayers and support.

“Then Naomi … said to her, ‘My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor.’” (Ruth 3:1-3)

“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)