GIVE IT TO ME

Judy never complained. Jeff had to peel back her layers of armor to get her to admit she was suffering.

“When did this happen?”, Jeff asked as he helped her hobble to bed.

“I sprained my ankle this morning. Clumsy me,” Judy said. “I tripped over my own feet.”

He propped up her pillow and she sat back in bed. He saw immediate relief on her face now that she was off her feet.

“And my wisdom tooth started hurting about an hour ago,” Judy said. She placed her hand firmly on her face, trying to find a pressure point to ease that pain. She uttered a soft moan.

Jeff felt guilty because he was feeling fit as a fiddle.

“I’ll be okay. I’ll just stay off my feet as much as I can. I took a couple of Tylenol and they should help when they kick in.”

“Is there anything I can get for you?” he asked, bending over and gently kissing her forehead.

“Not right now, Jeff. Maybe I’ll just rest a little bit.” She closed her eyes.

“I’ll be in the living room if you need me. Don’t try to get out of bed by yourself. Just holler and I’ll come running.”

Jeff felt hopelessly helpless. He hated to see Judy, his beloved wife of eight years, in pain. He wished he could ease her suffering.

Sitting on the couch, he reached over and snatched the Bible from its place on the coffee table. He tried to remember specific passages regarding healing, but couldn’t at the moment.

He clutched the Bible to his chest and prayed out loud very softly.

“Dear God, we love you and we need you. We are your humble servants and I know we ask for many things and we are grateful for all our blessings but if you could shower down your infinite mercy and ease Judy’s pain, I would be very thankful. If there was a way you could take the pain from Judy’s ankle and give it to me, I would accept it with love. If there was a way you could take Judy’s toothache from her and give it to me, I would forever be in your debt. I ask this in your name. Amen.”

Jeff set the Bible down and rose to go and check on Judy to see if she was resting comfortably.

When he stood, a sharp pain in his left ankle made him grimace and plop back down to the couch.

It was Judy’s left ankle that was sprained.

“No,” he said aloud. “Couldn’t be.”

An ache throbbed in his right jaw and the pain made him wince, He probed it with his hands. It was the same location as Judy’s toothache.

“This is unbelieveable.”

He smiled despite the pain and tried to stand again. By shifting most of his weight to his right foot, he was able to limp to the wall where he leaned for support. His right hand pressed firmly against his cheek to try to lessen the pain there, and he took small staggered steps toward the bedroom, smiling with love for the Lord.

“Jeffrey!” Judy shouted as she approached him from the hallway.

He looked up. She wasn’t limping as she walked but she looked very angry. Thank you, God.

“I can’t believe I’m suddenly feeling much better and I came to tell you…and what do I find…but you in here making fun of me.”