Am I willing to settle for a miracle when God wants to do a great miracle??

Well, it’s been way too long since I blogged...and I plan to do a regular blog soon...but God’s been working in my heart this morning & I wanted to share...

I’ve been following a group on Facebook about a baby boy named Isaiah James May. Isaiah was born into a strong Christian family in October with the cord around his neck & suffered severe oxygen deprivation. Doctor’s said he was brain dead, wouldn’t grow, etc. It’s been slow, but he’s been steadily making progress...eyelids flutter open every day now...his pupils are dilating...he reacts when he gets a shot...his arms & legs move spontaneously. His parents have had to fight for his life from the beginning with HUGE pressure from doctor’s to pull the plug as well as nurses refusing to note many of these improvements on his chart. Well, last night I found out that Alberta Health Services (AHS) has sent a letter to the family stating that as of 2:00 tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), his treatment team will be taking him off the ventilator because they’ve done everything they can & there’s no hope of recovery. They are going to court today to try to get an extra 90 days.

My first response was anger. It makes me so angry that this could be happening right here in Alberta!!! When did it become OK for doctors to make decisions for parents...regarding life or death!!!??? At the same time my heart is aching for this family. I can’t imagine the pain they are feeling right now. That was the extent of my feelings as I went to bed last night. This morning as I was reading some new posts on the group God laid something on my heart: We’ve been praying so hard for Isaiah’s healing...well...if he’s healed, then he doesn’t need a ventilator, right?! I still agree 100% that AHS has NO RIGHT to make that decision for the family...but I see God using this for HIS honor & glory!! “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

As I wrote this down & thought about it more, God brought something else to mind. Maybe the judge will give them the 90 days so that Isaiah can stay on the ventilator a little longer...and then maybe Isaiah will continue making improvements day by day...that would be great. But how much better would it be, if they took him off the ventilator & he was completely healed?! Is God asking us just to trust? All the improvements Isaiah has made are miracles...there is no doubt...doctors said none of those things would happen. What if God is just waiting to do the ultimate miracle & heal him completely...but first we have to trust Him to do it?? A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie “Faith Like Potatoes”. If you haven’t seen it I would HIGHLY recommend it! It is based on a true story, which to me makes it all the more inspiring. I was both encouraged & challenged as I watched. My favorite line in the movie is this: “the condition for a miracle is difficulty; the condition for a great miracle is impossibility”. Are we settling for the miracle when we could have the great miracle?? Obviously, this is not my child...I don’t even know the family...so I say all of this hypothetically. It just got me thinking about how that applies to me right now.

This has been a tough year financially as the economy has greatly affected our work. For pretty much exactly a year now we’ve been learning to trust God in a whole new way. In the past month I’ve watched 2 movies that have been such an encouragement & challenge to me. The first was “Facing the Giants” (also HIGHLY recommended) which reminded me that before God can fully work in my life I have to be willing to give it ALL to Him! I can’t pray for work while really believing that if we don’t get this job we’re hooped. I have to be able to pray for work...at the same time acknowledging that if we don’t get this job, I still believe that God has a plan & knows what’s best for us & I will trust that! When I watched Faith Like Potatoes a couple weeks ago, it just reinforced all of that...and has kept that idea forefront in my mind ever since. My question for myself today is this. Am I willing to settle for a miracle, when God wants to do a great miracle? Will I trust Him enough to face an impossible situation head on...and believe that He can do it!?

Update: The judge decided she needs more time to make a decision about this sensitive issue. They will keep Isaiah on the ventilator till the judge gives her decision on the 27^th. The family is asking for 90 days. Alberta Health Services is only willing to give 30 days. OK Lord, so now how do I pray?? I believe you want to do a great miracle through little Isaiah...