As I contemplated all the ramifications of having another series of hand surgeries, numbers 5 & 6, I was admittedly concerned about many things. Foremost in those concerns was how the surgery would be performed this time, if I so chose. This could be the first one he can do in his office, without the invasive anesthesia, on one condition, if I could handle the needle to numb my hand. I thought long and hard about this decision. I knew hands have an incredible number of nerves in them. I actually visualized the nasty numbing needle dentists use. I shuddered at that memory. So I started to verbalize my concerns to the Lord.
His immediate response was to have me recall His hands....and then in His characteristic gentle humor he said, "Really, will it be worse than My hands?" In my minds eye I visualized Christ's scarred hands that do and will testify to His Divine Role. Savior of the world.
My mind instantly flashed to Joseph's prayer in Liberty jail as he was delineating his concerns for himself and the saints he was Prophet to, and Christ answered him, "The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than He?" D&C 122:8-9
I smiled...all would be well, and He knew already how I would feel! I re-read the scriptural account if this Liberty Jail account. And I noticed in Christ's answer he first empathized with Joseph, he knew how Joseph was feeling, and then His gentle reminder that He of all people was not only the greatest (of all time...G.O.A.T.) but that He gently reminded Joseph this would not be as hard at what Christ had survived himself in mortality. And He went on to say God will be with you!
I took Him at His word and moved forward in my decision. In the moment I mentally called upon my Savior, fully awake, and when the surgeon stepped away I was flooded with gratitude at the power of Christ's atonement evidenced in that moment. Again I was stunned at the personal relationship I reverence and share with my elder brother Jesus Christ. I cannot profess to understand how He does what He alone does, but right now His Power was my comfort, solace and strength.
The surgery went well and the healing was surprising to all! Enough so that I scheduled the second hand to be done the following week. With only minor setbacks I am healing.
So today as I was studying the first accounts of interactions with the newly Resurrected Christ I marveled at some new understanding the Holy Ghost shared with me. When the two Disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus, and Christ joined them, their eyes were holden (restricted) so they didn't know the identity of the Savior in that moment. However after a lengthy discussion of the scriptures, Christ accepted their invitation to eat dinner with them. Then it was during the dinner that Christ took the bread of the meal, brake and blessed it. Instantly their eyes were opened and they recognized whose hands were breaking bread before them. The risen Lord Jesus Christ! The marks on His hands testified of Him, through the power of the great Testifier, The Holy Ghost. As they reflected on their conversation earlier on the road, they recognized again the feelings they had as Christ taught them. The Holy Ghost was just starting to be recognized as they had no need of His divine gift, when they had the Savior among them in the flesh.
Then in an attempt to liken the scriptures unto me. I thought of the priests hands breaking bread and blessing it for me every week. I could visualize this meal with His disciples, and I could visualize Christ breaking bread for my renewal of my covenants weekly. I know if He were to be in our Sacrament meeting, I believe he would want to personally minister to each of us, by braking, blessing and offering those sacred emblems to each person there.
And so today my hands are slowly healing, I am trying to do as He directs, but I always fall short- so it is with eager anticipation that I now begin my preparation to reverently, purposefully and ever so gratefully partake of that sweet ordinance on Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FySuVkiit0
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