Who helped Him?

Who helped Jesus?”

That was the question Elliot blurted out when He saw a brief screenshot of our King on Calvary. His little heart and mind were so overcome and all He could muster up was this guttural question of who helped Him. Because Elliot knows if he gets hurt, so many run to help him. And as we attempt to sprinkle the Truth to his little ears throughout the day, he hears the name above all names many a time. So when he saw that face whose Name is so majestic and heroic bleeding and in pain (even for a brief 5 seconds on some youtube channel), he panicked. 

“Who helped Jesus?!!?”

We stumbled over our words. And we stumble over the reality of the truth.

“Well, Elliot, no one helped Jesus. No one helped Him. No one helped Him so that you could be helped one day”

That was it. Then Elliot carried on with licking the creme out of an oreo or something. Two years is no age for deep theological reflections. But it was Truth and though I pray it seeped into fertile soil in his little heart, it certainly seeped into mine.

No one helped Him, so we could be helped.

The words of that great hymn echo in the recesses of my mind.

“How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory”

Even the Father turns His face as His child cries out asking why He had been forsaken.

So that.

So that He could “make a wretch His treasure”.

We, worn wretches, made treasures. Because He was forsaken. No one helped Him, so that I could be helped. As He hung there, stretched and torn, my name was in His heart. As He hung there, stretched and torn, those forgotten in the world’s were remembered in Glory. 

And since He was not helped and since He took our place, we inherit His reward.

We inherit Him.

We have communion with God.

So that, on evenings like tonight, I have a God who intercedes on my behalf.

So that, even when I stink at asking for help and asking for prayer, that slain King who is now seated in glory, intercedes on my behalf and petitions my motherly groans to His Father (and mine). So that I do not have to do this journey alone.

If it were not for His suffering, my suffering would be unbearable, as would all of ours. If it were not for His suffering and resurrection and unending presence with us, Adam’s suffering would undo me. It nearly does undo me…

But God.

But God.

It nearly would undo me, but GOD. God is a very present help in times of trouble. 

But God’s wounds have paid my ransom.

But God takes trash and makes it treasure.

But God takes foolish things to shame the wise.

But God is with us all, broken and weary, every treacherous step of the way.

But God.

If it were not for that conjunction of Deity’s presence, we would not get thru the pain of this world.

So, little Elliot, as you grow. I pray you know it is hard, but God. I pray that you know that no one helped Him, but God. God had a purpose beyond stopping the suffering of His chosen one. Your older brother is sick a lot and we do not understand why, but God. 

Little Elliot, I pray you keep asking these hard questions. Because your momma needs to hear them most of all. Because they are questions she is too scared to ask sometimes. 

No one helped Him on that cross, but that same suffering King moved mountains on behalf of our family and on behalf of the rescue of Adam. And He still is. They just may be different mountains and in different spans of time that your momma wants. But still, He is there.

And just as He was asked when He walked the earth why the man was born blind. It was not a punishment warranted for sins committed. It was so God could receive glory thru his life.

And when I do not understand why Adam has to suffer and why the road seems throttling at times…it is so God could be seen and His redemptive purposes can be walked out. And good gracious that is freeing. 

No one helped Him, so that He could help us.

That settles it.

________________________________________________________

Dear one, Adam has continued to heal well from surgical stuff, like wounds and cysts and such. However, he has been battling a lot of nausea and vomiting and diarrhea. I think he has lost a couple of pounds but in the past 2 days he is now holding down food for the first time. Interesting enough, most of his hydration with pedialyte he has ingested orally (not be gtube). Raja has been giving him 5 mls at a time of Pedialye and we pray with each syringe given. As of today, he has not thrown up once and is peacefully sleeping and not in pain. We are so grateful.

Tomorrow we take him to a checkup with his pediatrician regarding the nausea and we also have a follow up with ENT and his normal Speech appt. It is a bit of a crazy day. So if you can pray for us as we go to each of those, we would be so grateful.

I am hesitant to share often when Adam gets sick because I fear you become discouraged. Forgive me, for I know I am wrong.

 Thank you to each of you who have offered suggestions. We have been perfusing many essential oils. He has been sleeping in clouds of melaneua, breathe, and on guard. I have been practically bathing in elevation;) And we have been loading him with probiotics galore. We are so grateful for these natural remedies and hope they have contributed to some of his improvement. 

But he is certainly not back to normal and we miss him.

We cherish your prayers always.