A Time for Every Battle 012

This week finds my wife and I back in an all-to-familiar spot: Tucked in the corner of a hospital room, 6 floors up in Duarte, Ca.

One week ago, we found out that Logan’s Leukemia had returned - out of the blue, no warning signs.

3 years since his stem cell transplant was successful: he had finished high school on time and wrapped up his freshman year in college working on an automotive and business degree. He got a great job this summer working at a Lube-N-Tune shop and was just finishing two summer school classes - accounting and intro to business.

The plan was working great.

All of us have been here in form or another -

The moment when all your planning, building, and providing runs headfirst into the mystery of God’s timing - and you’re asked to wait.

Not passively or in resignation, but in readiness.

Surrendering with strength,

in full armor, face to the floor.

It’s the same window, same fight, but something has changed.

I am no longer just enduring the wilderness.

I am being formed by it - we all are.

When we try to force spiritual progress, especially in crisis, we break things.

We act like Saul, clenching tighter, scheming harder, desperate to produce peace on our own timeline.

David shows us another way, though.

He waits in caves-prudently, cautiously.

And trusts God’s anointing without rushing God’s action(THY Kingdom come, THY will be done)

Pray that is the way we live this battle-not frantic or fatalistic. Just faithful.

In the Eucharist, we’re reminded that God works “when the fullness of time has come.”

And this week, I’ve seen that Kingdom come in the form of texts, fasting, prayer chains, anointing, worship, old friends resurfacing, and new warriors rising up in battle next to me and my family.

We are truly living in the middle of The Communion of Saints!

So here’s the invitation to those of you reading this:

This weekend, don’t rush the process.

Don’t scheme like Saul or sulk like the Nation of Israel.

Don’t numb yourself into distraction because the waiting hurts.

Instead—kneel like David.

Hold your hands up like Aaron and Hur, standing beside another man in the fight.

There is a time for every matter under heaven.

And this—right now—is a time for holy battle.

Logan’s fight is back on.

But he is not alone.

And neither are you.

The waiting is not weakness.

And this window on the sixth floor, is proof that even hospital rooms can become altars.