22 December 2021 - Manna by Dorothy and Tony Callies
And Merry Christmas to you!!!!!
Theme: Take My Yoke
I like to share my personal devotion what this meant to me. I ask my Heavenly Father as to why there’s only some healing in some ways that kept Tony and me going. I kept quoting Scriptures as part of daily bread, like Lord’s Prayer says, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”
God has blessed us in several ways. But I would like to see Tony being completely healed from a broken right shoulder that are still painful when he gets up and moved around with walker which he held on so tightly, and so carefully that he would not lose his balance as he struggles to walk very slowly. [Surgeon cannot fix his shoulder due to his age and high risk of losing the use of right arm.]
What Tony’s like when he sits on his power chair? With his right arm and shoulder resting comfortable and it is not painful. He can use his right arm for sign language, to eat, to read newspaper, etc. in a limited way. Tony used his left hand and arm to help with his weak right arm. This is where I ask God for this specific healing area.
It was as if Tony was carrying a heavy load on his right shoulder which are tilted or slant a little lower than his left shoulder. He struggled to get his shoulders straight up while with walker. Often as if he carried something very heavy on his right shoulder. I had assumed that Satan put a lot of pressure on that area so I commanded him to back off and leave Tony alone. At times it helped, but still not 100% yet. That left me puzzled until . . .
This morning I came across the devotion about Matthew 11:28-29. What stands out of that verse was “TAKE MY YOKE.” Read Joseph Prince’s devotion, “Intimacy with the Lord.” Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. TAKE MY YOKE upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. I was impressed. My question was, “What exactly is the yoke that Jesus was talking about?” I dig deep. I thought that was a big issue, YOKE. I wrote it on my notes from the technology dictionary Merriam-Webster. It comes handy. I know computer does give word meaning, but to me it’s simpler. Here’s goes.
Yoke: 1) A wooden bar or frame by which two work animals (as oxen) are joined together at their heads or neck for pulling a plow or load. 2) A frame fitted to a person’s shoulder to carry a load in two equal portions. 3) Something that brings about a state of hardship, PAIN, or slavery. 4) Drudgery= hard work, dull or mentally slow at work. 5) Toil: long hard labor are usually done by hand.
Yoke: The earliest sense of our Modern English toil was “a long, hard struggle in battle.” It is natural enough that in time this came to be used to refer to any long hard effort (hard work of mind or body).
Meanwhile, I often check with Tony and it happened I noticed the lights from bedroom means he’s up. I checked with him sits on the bed. He asked me, “What’s up?” I told Tony that I read devotion about “Intimacy with the Lord.” I explained what Joseph Prince was sharing that even when we quote Psalm 91, it is intimacy that Jesus wants. Like it says, He covered me with His feather and under His wings … that’s intimacy with Jesus. So we hugged together. We felt God’s blessings.
Tony was impressed then he rubbed his right shoulder was discomfort with pain so I took the gel to rub his shoulder to ease the pain. I rubbed his muscle to relax his tense arm so he could get up to the bathroom by himself. He has to decide whether to go back to bed or get to the power chair while I was working on Manna. He got up himself from the bathroom with struggle.
I put Manna on hold and I took the fluffy robe to keep him warm. With walker, he walked to the power chair. Took the newspaper to read. I got him coffee. Turn on TV for morning News. Then I’m back to Manna, hope to finish it and send it out to you.
Now where was I? Thinking about Yoke. What was Jesus telling me about? He said, “Take My yoke.” Now I realized that He wants intimacy, means that we constantly depend on Jesus. Whatever we go through, Jesus is carrying yoke with us, be together in all we do. I sensed a joy when I see God giving strength to Tony to move around independence. This is what I often see … constant strength from God along with Jesus and us bearing the “YOKE TOGETHER.”
I sense God’s blessing and inner joy to share this with you. You know what’s like for Tony to go through. Tony often has his up and down, but Therapist said to me while Tony was exercised walking with walker, “I can see Tony’s determination.” I was impressed and blessed to hear her said this. God’s strength continues into Tony to keep walking whenever he needs to walk.
Okay, that’s news for today. So may God bless you as you read this Manna with joy that God is blessing you today however you go through.
Dorothy
PS. God loves you and so do I. :-)
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