Ive been constantly reminded of Gods sovereignty. In our Foundations class we are learning about the theological foundations of medicine and how God relates to what were doing here in Philly. This class has been such a great blessing to me, as I often see it as a process where I have to reconcile my faith and calling to medicine. But what Ive learned is that there is a very strong biblical foundation to what God has called me to.
On Monday we looked at the passages Jeremiah 8:22-9:2 and Isaiah 40:1-2, 9-10, 28-31. After a week of door-to-door evangelism, we had all seen our part of brokenness in the neighborhood. Often when these people shared with me their stories and struggles, I was hit with feelings of despair and sadness. I would often question God, Why are you letting these people suffer and struggle? and doubt that God was really paying attention to what happened in this neighborhood. That morning, Isaiah 40:28-31 spoke to me:
28Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Our God is an everlasting God, all-powerful God. As medical professionals, we sometimes get a small taste of what God feels as we try to comfort and help patients. How much more does God hurt as He watches His children and how much does He delight when we come and worship Him. Throughout our time here, weve been trying to bring Gods shalom (peace) into peoples lives. This passage reminded me to bring GODS shalom, not just my own created shalom.
Ive also been blessed by an amazing group of brothers and sisters in Christ who have supported me in this growth process. Ive learned so much from each and every person as we learn and grow and serve together. As in Proverbs 27:17, our different backgrounds have allowed us to sharpen one another and have many conversations about our beliefs and faith journeys. Joining with a community of believers who can work in like-minded ways has taught me so much about working Christian community to actively bring Gods shalom.
Thank you for all your support and prayers, we can never been thankful enough for all that you are doing for us, especially on the spiritual front. With a few days left to go, please pray for energy and protection as we wrap-up our work here.
In Him, Johanna