Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
~ John 8:31-32
This morning I pray for Macky in particular. He is off to take his qualifying exams for his diplomate as a pediatrician.
I do not pray that he be given the right answers as he goes to through the test questions or that he would remember all the right answers. That would make my prayers some sort of magic incantations that would automatically spew out the correct answers on Macky’s test papers.
Instead, as I pray for him, I try to feel the feelings in his heart. I feel his compassion and generosity wanting to devote his life to the care of children, the healing of their illnesses and the alleviation of their pain and discomfort. I triangulate this with the love and compassion of the Great Healer and pray that God will always be present in Macky’s work and service as a pediatrician.
As I pray for him, I imagine the thoughts and knowledge in his head. I have seen the long hours he has put into learning, poring over books and texts. I have seen the effort and long hours he has spent with patients easing their pain, finding out the cause of their discomfort, diagnosing their disease and prescribing the cure. I triangulate this with the wisdom and understanding of the Great Teacher and pray that God will always guide Macky’s hands and heart and head as he cares for and tends to his patients.
I pray for Macky with gratitude and thanksgiving in my heart that God had inspired and guided him to a life of service and compassion as a doctor. I thank God as well for the gift that Lani has been to him. They have both shared the same passion and dedication to their being doctors, I am certain that they are where they ought to be and they are doing what they ought to be doing – according to the Lord’s will.
I pray for Macky with faith and hope that as he takes the exam, he brings with him the fruits of all his efforts in his studies and training all these years that will give him the confidence and scholarship to be able to formulate credible and learned response; and that he will be found worthy to be certified as a worthy and good pediatrician.
Finally, I pray that whatever the outcome will be; Macky will be blessed with the equanimity and the abiding trust that good things are coming as this is but a moment in the gradual unfolding of the Lord’s plan in his life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!