He Bore Our Sicknesses and Sorrows

I spent the last two days laying on my side because I was experiencing too much pain and discomfort while laying on my back. Abdominal pain and diarrhea made it hard to sleep. I loss lots of fluid and barely ate food. But, I couldn’t help but focus on Jesus. He was with me and was sustaining me, just like He promised, and the pleasure of being with Him overwhelmed me. I literaly felt that He was bearing my sickness, and caring for me through this ordeal. After all, He “bore our sicknesses and carried away our sorrows.” When Sunday came, my joy in the Lord continued. I cried out to the Lord and he gave me strength to walk the 30 meters to the church. And there I saw Boma, formerly a drunkard with no knowledge of Jesus Christ, but now He is a sober, son of God translating from Chechewa into the Chiawo language for the Sunday message. I sat straight up in the church for about 20 minutes (the past day and a half I couldn’t sit straight up). The Lord strengthened me again, and I walked in the hot sun to Sunday school (under a tree) where Tiffany and Tonya were teaching. I had to see my children. Some of them walk 20 minutes from Asumani village. They are fruits of the Lord’s labor. After praying for them, I immediately returned to the house and fell asleep from exhaustion. But, by Monday I was well. Hallelujah!

But there were more burdens that Jesus carried. At the same time (Sunday night), Jessie, the other American missionary who lives in the same house with us, was very sick and had symptoms of malaria again. But Jesus bore our sicknesses and carried away our sorrows. As we all prayed for Jessie, I witnessed deep crying unto deep. From the depths of the Spirit’s heart emerged a longing (a heart’s cry) for the Lord’s will to be done in Jessie. Jessie immediately spring up and sat on his bed. He began to gain strength from that very moment. The next morning He was up and about as usual.

At this time, I can’t explain why I went through what I did. I know both cases were spiritual attacks. But, what is more important is that the Lord continued to strengthen me to believe Him and believe well for what He said He did for us on the cross. There is no room for sorrow, fear or discouragement. We are content with our Savior, and we are completely thrilled at the joy, peace, comfort and healing that Jesus brings. Refusing to be distracted, we choose to believe in Jesus and contend for the great LOVE that He has for us.

We will continue to share the truth of His gospel with the people of the surrounding villages. The harvest is plentiful and the kingdom is advancing! Jesus did not die in vain. We choose to trust Him for the rewards of His suffering.