The theme for today is: Eyes.

Psalm 123. Another pilgrimage song. Pilgrims progress. The pilgrim travels eyes up, eyes open, and eyes down.

Eyes up. Faith. The pilgrim travels by faith. The pilgrim lifts his eyes up. The pilgrim cranks his head, strains his neck, and looks up. He focuses his eyes on Heaven. He feasts his eyes on the throne. The pilgrim believes. He believes God is high, majestic, and sovereign. He has faith in his Creator, Master, and Father. The pilgrim travels eyes up with the “assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Eyes open. Anticipation. The pilgrim travels with anticipation. He travels eyes wide open hoping for, looking for, and expecting blessing. The master will provide for the servant. The maid will provide for the mistress. So, the Father will provide for the pilgrim. The pilgrim travels with open eyes anticipating the Father’s giving hands.

Eyes down. Humility. The pilgrim travels with humility. The pilgrim knows his place. He cries for mercy. A double cry for mercy. Surely he was looking down. Just like the tax collector who “would not even look up to heaven…and said…have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18: 13). The pilgrim is humble; he travels with eyes down knowing that “those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).

This part of Zach’s pilgrimage is sluggish, challenging, gruelling, and exhausting. Keep running, Zach. Keep running, pilgrim! Eyes up, eyes open, and eyes down.

Today’s Updates:

Zach was very active again today. He has a high heart rate, is moving his limbs around, and is quite sweaty (but no fever). The doctor said there could be multiple causes for his symptoms, including his infections, brain injury, and/or a bad drug reaction. They adjusted his medications in case he is developing serotonin syndrome (a bad drug reaction) from his post operative medications. They’ve also started him on a medication that will treat this syndrome just in case.

The plastics and vascular teams took another look at Zach’s feet today. They agreed that they will not perform surgery soon unless Zach develops an infection on his feet. The vascular surgeons want to give Zach’s feet more time to improve as they don’t pose much risk to Zach’s immediate health and recovery.

Zach is losing a bit more weight every day despite his high calorie diet. A couple days ago they confirmed that Zach is receiving the right amount of calories, but the dietary team will continue to follow Zach’s nutrition with the goal of stabilizing his weight. Please pray for guidance for the dieticians and pray that Zach may stop losing weight.

We ask that you continue to pray with us for Zach, that the Lord may grant him strength and healing during this challenging time.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt.

We have endured no end of ridicule from the arrogant, of contempt from the proud.”

(Psalm 123)