Pleasing God

“. . .because God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases Him.” -Philipppians 2:13 (NCV)

This week has not been an easy one in the Christian journey. I have only to read the past two days’ journal entries to remember the pain, but yes, even the gain, for God’s work in my life to be revealed. Philippians 2:13, then, takes on new meaning.

I have several friends I’ve made at Georgia War Veterans’ Home since Grover has been there. I try to see them almost every day, too, as I visit Grover, and seek to encourage and cheer them. Wednesday, I told these friends about the latest medical news about Grover. It was hard to tell them, and I didn’t want to upset them. But amazingly, they were the ones ministering to me, seeing and sensing my needs.

I went by Bill, seated in his wheelchair in the hall. He assured me he would pray for us, and I know he will. He removed his baseball cap, being the gentleman he is, and with tears in his eyes said: “Tell my friend Grover to go on to Heaven and wait for us. We will be there soon to join him!”

I told Lt. Col. Roark. Right on the spot, he said, “Ethelene, I want to pray for you and Grover, right now.” And, as we joined hands, this “tough” Colonel bowed his head and offered up a sincere prayer to God whom we both love and serve.

Cynthia was with me. Murrell had said to her, earlier this week on the elevator, that “You look more beautiful than a movie star.” Cyndi didn’t know until Wednesday that Murrell (“Big Man”) is one of my special prayer partners at GWVH. He invited us to go see his room, and he took a beautifully framed picture of the Lord’s prayer and said, “Mrs. Jones, I want to give this to you. It will comfort you as it does me every day.” It was perhaps one of his most treasured items in his room, for the men can’t keep much in their small spaces called their “home” now. When I said, “No. You keep this. It is one of your prized possessions.” He shared that he had the framed poster 12 years, since he turned his life around and surrendered to the Lord. And now, in my grief, he was moved to give it to me so that I could be reminded visibly that the Lord, indeed, walks with me through the Valley of the shadow of death. I was so touched. The framed picture with beautiful mountains in the background, and the Lord’s prayer superimposed thereon, has found a place on my bedroom wall where I can see it as each day begins and ends. And I will think, too, of Murrell, and pray for him.

“Pleasing God.” It’s not hard to find out what pleases God. He’s ready to show me how to please Him if I merely ask, seek, knock. And He’s also there ahead of me, working out the details before I am even aware of what will happen. God is so good, all the time, all the time, and He is pleased when his children want to please Him.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Friday, January 15, 2010