Dear Trekker,
There is a verse of Scripture I memorized many, many years ago… “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). But because I am writing to my friends, trekkers with me through life’s mountains and valleys, I’d like to back up to verse 3: “I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident…”
We are completing 13 years of Passing the Baton this month. The receiving base for MEN has become so large and varied, I don’t know who all receives this. But be assured… you are a friend in Christ!
I do pray for you all with joy at the opportunity to MEN (model, encourage and nurture) each of you as you trek through life with Christ. And for sure, we are partners, recipients of the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We believe and have received Christ (Genesis 15:6 and John 1:12). God says because we believe and have received His Son, we are His children and of His nature, righteous! Pretty heady stuff, but pretty straightforward, too. The Good News, pure and simple!
So, we are all on the journey, making our way through earth life, the vestibule of eternity with God! Whatever God is doing, it is GOOD and he will FINISH it! That is a promise we must believe! As we look back, we can see him doing a good work in the yesterdays. And we can reflect on it… and be encouraged!
Let me begin by thanking you for your prayers for this old man! One month ago today (December 16), I awakened with a dull, constant pain in my upper left arm and chest, over my heart. While sitting, reading the morning paper, I told friend wife I was going to lay down on the bed again… the pain was great, not sharp, but unrelentingly “there.” I writhed, I moaned, I applied ice, then heat…to no avail. That day we were due in Denver for lunch with grandchildren. Somehow, I knew that was not going to happen. My granddaughter, a nurse by profession, after hearing everything, said quite calmly, “Well, Grandpa, I don’t know for sure, but from what you have told me, you better get to an emergency room right away.” I thought, youth are to listen to elders, and at times, elders are to listen to youth. We were off quickly – my wife and another granddaughter visiting for the holidays, to the nearest urgent care facility.
An EKG quickly revealed my heart was “not right.” I was told I should go to the emergency room at a local hospital, by car or by emergency medical response (EMR), which I chose – probably a wise choice. I was coherent, standing, talking, just in some pain that would not go away! Prone in the EMR vehicle, three medics were all over me as the siren blazed a trail to the nearest hospital in Colorado Springs. I was getting “set-up” for multiple tubes to begin entry into my body. I figured “they” know best. One paramedic at my side said casually, “Well, you know you’re having a heart attack, don’t you?” I responded, “I guess so, if you say so. What’s a heart attack?” If you’ve never had one before, and you are still living “in it,” I guess you need to be told what is happening.
When I arrived at the emergency room of Memorial Hospital here in the Springs, I was impressed. It was as if they were waiting for little old me! I started talking to the duty doctor and I remember him saying, “You don’t look or act 83; you have a body of a 63 year old.” I thought, “Big deal. I’m still having a heart attack.” In moments, a cardiologist was there… he took over! In ten minutes or less, I was on the table in the operating room. I was told by the cardiologist, “Mr. Meredith, your left anterior artery is totally blocked. All other arteries are clear. I am going to put a stent up into your right groin… pretty routine. You will be okay.”
I was sedated and about 75-80 minutes later I was wheeled into ICU recovery, hurting a bit, but very much alive with three stents in my LAD artery! My, how God provided! Excellent medical personnel, caring nurses, etc.
About six hours later, with a couple morphine shots, the pain had completely subsided. About that time…2100 hours or so, my ICU nurse, Danielle, a 25-year-old sweetheart, so proper, so confident, so caring, supplied words like these to me, “You know you dodged a bullet, don’t you? You had the ‘widow maker.’ If you had been in your 40’s, you’d likely be dead now. Because you’re in your 80’s, your heart has matured and it can withstand better a breakdown like this. Though the artery was blocked, blood was still getting through; new vessels and veins are formed as the heart has matured.” I listened and learned things I didn’t know. Then as she finished speaking, the Spirit spoke to me, “Yes, I took the bullet for you so you can spend eternity with me, but “I am not finished with you yet.” It was not audible, but the Spirit spoke to me clearly and definitively. Philippians 1:6 immediately crossed my mind, Spirit inspired.
In 48 hours following entry, I was out of the hospital. Now a month later, I am on the road to recovery. Cardiac rehab is ongoing…I’ll learn in a couple days if my heart rhythm is totally normal once again! God is good, and he shows his “good” in a thousand ways. “Goodness” is stamped big and bold across my life these last 30 days!
Now trekker, there are some lessons here. We can and must trust every jot and tittle of our lives to God. He is in charge of what we don’t understand. My heart attack was a total anomaly, according to my cardiologist. Relatively speaking, I am in good shape, working out regularly. Cholesterol (LDL and HDL) is low, under 150. Bad LDL is 79… but a good number. Why did it happen! Doctors don’t know! But no permanent damage and God is in control. No “accidents” with God, and He will accomplish His purposes for our lives. Romans 8:28 is true (check it out!).
Trekker, I suggest you memorize Philippians 1:6 for the beginning of 2018. You must be confident that God is quarterbacking Team YOU, calling the signals. His work in YOU is good! You have value for eternity. That is why He died for us. Start today believing in your value, which lasts forever. In a moment, we shall enter eternity. But we don’t know when and how. We cannot! Our job is to know His work in us is good, and it will be completed! Don’t give up on God, yourself or anyone. He is in the redemption business. And he completes what he starts! Start believing this today!!
I’ll close with this admonition in Hebrews 12 from The Message: “Do you see what this means…It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit…”
Your living friend,
Jim Meredith
