The Servant Is 4/29/21

29 April 2021 - The Servant Is – Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

John 13:16 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘The servant is not greater than his lord …’

I would like to begin how it happened that I have this Manna:

            Tony was taken by EMT to ER last Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on April 25, 2021 because his pulse was too low. Tony’s body was dehydrated and he had two IVs and also had taken several tests. [Tony is fine and he is much better]

            Last March 30-31, 2021 Tony was at ER because he didn’t feel good. The highlight was focus on liver issue and they wanted to do more “probing” into his liver, but I declined it. Tony has had liver problem for many years and at different times and testing, the doctors were never able to figure out problem except for calling it ‘Gilbert Syndrome.’ But they say that this test shows it was something different.   

            The next day on the follow-up with Tony’s primary doctor who decided to stop one medicine called, ‘liptor’ kind for three weeks and see if there would make a difference. Three weeks past, Tony was at ER again for different reason, dehydrated. After being at ER from 10-5 pm, he looks much better so I started to work on ‘hydrated’ food list that would help with his body and mine too.

            But I want to point out about the test on liver. At ER, they say that the liver is good. His liver is really fine. I was shocked. After so many years, finally I heard them say, “Liver is fine and good?” The next day, Tony had follow-up with immediate ‘nurse’ and an hour of questionnaire. The nurse discussed about how the liver was just fine. And the doctor made the right decision as the doctor suspect that the medicine was causing Tony’s high blood pressures constantly. Now, his blood pressure is normal.

            I pondered this … I turned to God, “Did You just healed Tony’s liver and not the bone yet?” I was silence with God’s Presence being there. Nothing was said but His presence was so sweet and I just simply sense an inner joy and peace. Then Jesus quoted, “The servant is not greater his lord …”

            The next thing, a friend told me the story of two missionaries who went to Iran to preach the gospel. At the custom, they were taken as spies and both missionaries were separated into cells. One missionary’s name was Dan who was taken out of cell to the tormentor’s room. The torture went on for four months. Dan grew tired and felt like he would never be able to leave the cell. One day, the very bright light came upon Dan and Jesus was standing and said to Dan, “I am with you. I am there for you.”

            The tormentor took Dan out of cell and Dan finally said, “I guess we will be here for a long time and we might as well become friends. My name is Dan and took his hand out for a shake … the tormentor was shocked for few minutes, gave his name and took out his hand to shake Dan. Suddenly the tormentor felt the strange power inside him and he wept and wept and felt the change inside. They became friends and Dan told him that Jesus loves him as Dan “love his enemies.”

            Next thing, all staff surrounded Dan and he was in the middle. He told them, “Jesus loves you” and Dan preached the gospel for 20 minutes to them. Then Dan and the tormentor were released and got back to USA and testified what God had done. 

            When I heard this, the deep impression on my heart was that ‘Dan was tortured for four months’ and Jesus was there with him. I pondered … it took the right timing of Dan’s suffering to win a soul for Jesus. Then suddenly verse, “The servant is not greater than the lord.” [In another word, Dan suffered just like Jesus suffered]

            On the research: John 13:16 was about Jesus washing disciples’ feet. If Jesus served, you served too. As a servant, the disciples were not better than Jesus. Jesus left us an example and quoted, “The servant is not greater than his lord.” Translate: “As a servant, we are not better than Jesus as our Lord.”  

            According to John 15:20 is another topic on suffering itself. “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you …”

            Then back to the thought of Dan going through four months of beatings … Dan’s endurance impressed me … pondering … Then Jesus spoke to my heart … “This month of April 2021 is the fourth year that you and Tony have endured together since April 2017. It was a molding character time that allows the Holy Spirit to work inside of you and Tony. My peace I give it to you. Come unto Me. I will give you rest.”

            So Paul’s prayer that “[God] would grant you, according to His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that [you] being rooted and ground in love … and to know the love of Christ, which [is beyond] knowledge, that [you] might be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16, 17, 19).

            I felt the new change inside of me with this thought: “Dan suffered four months of beatings. Tony and I suffered four years. I felt like a body of Christ, our brothers and sisters of the world are suffering too. I felt the comforts and inner strengthen when my thoughts were on Dan’s powerful testimony of Jesus Christ.

            My complete trust in God that He has a perfect plan for Tony and me on day to day basis. Paul’s prayer of 2,000 years ago is still in effect to all of us today. Take this opportunity of Paul’s prayer over you today.

            God bless you!

Dorothy

PS. Happy May First today.