"He's Here!"
I’d only been in the hospital for a few days, but I thought my friends' reaction was so cool. It reminded me of the way Garvin reacted whenever he saw Ray Barone.
Thank you for the many well wishes after my hospital stay a week ago. I’m trying to respond to each person. I even heard from people I don’t know which is amazing. I’m feeling better but don’t have any definitive results yet.
“Lee’s here!” A few of the guys I meet for lunch on Fridays lifted their arms to cheer for me.
I’d only been in the hospital for a few days, but I thought their reaction was so cool. It reminded me of the way Garvin responded every time he saw Ray Barone in the Everybody Love’s Raymond sitcom. Pure joy.
As the seasons progressed, Garvin’s response felt a little over the top, but something about seeing him do it every time was heartwarming. I think a case could be made that Paul felt the same way toward believers in Philippi.
It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:7-8 ESV)
He wrote these words from prison, as alluded to. And he was certainly thinking about the possibility of death.
Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:19-20 ESV)
Facing death tends to make a person sentimental and appreciative of who he has in his life. I certainly wasn’t facing death in the hospital, but as you lie there in bed hour after hour, it does make you think. And appreciate.
However you reached out, thank you! I felt your support, and it means the world to me.
March Spotlight:
In this fifty-day devotional, readers will explore what the Bible says about the importance of persevering to the end, suffering well, standing firm, leaving a faith legacy, earning heavenly rewards, striving for unity in the faith, mutually encouraging one another, not growing weary, dying well, and much more.
Here are some tidbits you might find interesting this week:
I’m still uploading videos to my new YouTube channel. Stop by and hit subscribe.
3 Reasons to Start Reading a Book Before Bed. [Funny thing about point number one is, it says you shouldn’t read on an e-reader at night due to the light it emits, as if a “real book” doesn’t require light to read.]
"The man on the cross is a sacrifice. The man on the cross hangs there as a substitute. Hell came to Calvary, and Jesus entered into it. Bearing all of my shame, and all of my scoffing, and all of my rebellion, He took my place." —Alistair Begg
Listen to a Recording of J.R.R. Tolkien Reading the Lord of the Rings.
"The deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done." —Elisabeth Elliot
When Lee isn’t writing essays, devotional books, or Christmas novellas, he is a freelance editor, as well as a freelance journalist who has written hundreds of articles for various newspapers and magazines. He’s also a fan of NASCAR, baseball, tennis, books, movies and coffee shops.
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