Earlier this week, I went to our dentist for a cleaning. Due to the amount to dental work that I have had done throughout the years, I have to go every four months instead of the traditional six month appointments. I won’t even go into all the things I have had done, as it seems unbelievable, but suffice it to say that I think that there should be a wing in the practice with my name on it… We have stayed with the same dental practice for 44 years, ever since we moved to Indiana.
When I sat in the chair earlier this week, I couldn’t believe how calm I was. It seems that way each time that I go in for a checkup. In fact, I remarked to the hygienist that if I didn’t think that I would close my mouth, I could take a nap while she was busy working. Of course, she chuckled but there was a lot of truth behind my statement. I am one of the few people who doesn’t mind going to the dentist but pretty much hates going to the doctor.
I know the history behind both of these reactions. Dr. Stordock was our dentist growing up. He passed away when I was eighteen – and he was 98! Still practicing dentistry. He was a kindly gentleman who we had gone to our entire lives. In fact, I found out that he had been Mom’s dentist her entire life! I never thought about Dr. Stordock’s age. He was a grandfatherly type who was always glad to see us. Sitting in his dental chair in the Pittsfield Building in downtown Chicago, I could watch the sailboats on Lake Michigan in the warm summer sun. It was a wonderful experience for us. It was always pain free and one that I cherished. To this day, I deal much better with dentists than other healthcare professionals. And I owe it all to Dr. Stordock. He was a real blessing to our family growing up.
On the other hand, I remember our childhood M.D. One day during Doug’s and my physicals, we needed injections. I went first and while I wasn’t thrilled about it, I got through it with minimal discomfort. Doug wasn’t so fortunate. He was afraid and, finally, the doctor physically held him down and literally forced him to the ground. He then gave him the shot. Doug was beside himself and I was crying – watching the doctor hurt my brother. As the years went on, I couldn’t believe that our mother didn’t step in to protect us. But that didn’t happen. We finally ended up changing doctors but the damage had been done. Doug and I were both traumatized by the experience.
The whole event highlighted why we loved Dr. Stordock. But you already know that…
This week I was also reminded of a friendship that I had after we moved to Indiana. Our neighbor, John, and I were discussing prayer and God. I confessed that there were many times that I fell asleep praying at night. I went on to say that I felt guilty and wondered what God thought of me. After all, He doesn’t fall asleep when I am praying to Him. It’s just that I was usually so relaxed that I couldn’t stay awake. That’s the feeling that I had with the hygienist earlier this week.
Anyway, John went on to paint a scenario explaining why I fell asleep during prayer. He said to imagine myself resting quietly in the arms of my father. He then asked if my Dad would be upset if I fell asleep laying on his chest. Of course, he wouldn’t be upset at all. He went on to explain that if my earthly father wouldn’t be upset, why in the world would I think that my Heavenly Father would be upset. I think that night completely changed my view on resting in the arms of God.
Now, whenever possible, I recall the times in my life that I fell asleep praying, resting in the arms of God, or imagined myself feeling so safe that I was totally relaxed. I think about verses in the Bible that reference His loving kindness. And that brings us to tonight’s verse.
There are many Scriptural references to resting in God. Tonight I have chosen a verse from the Book of Deuteronomy, written by Moses. Moses quotes the blessing of the tribe of Benjamin by saying, in Deuteronomy 33:12, “… “Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”
My encouragement this evening is that God loves it when we are so comfortable that we fall asleep in His arms. My prayer is that whether we are at the dentist, the doctor, or anywhere else we might experience fear, God will rescue us and invite us into his Holy Rest. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…