He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”–so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. (Matthew 9:9-13)
I read this passage in my devotions the other day and was greatly encouraged by it. What struck me most was how eager Jesus was to do good to the man with the withered hand. The Pharisees were slaves to their own laws. All they cared about was obedience to their man-made laws regarding the Sabbath. They could have cared less about the man with the withered hand. But not so with Jesus. Oh how deeply he loved the man with the shriveled hand. How disgusting that hand must have looked! A shriveled and shrunken hand that probably had not been used in years would not have been a pretty sight. But He valued the man with the withered hand and longed to do good to Him. Jesus is absolutely bursting with goodness. Like a ripe orange that is simply bursting with juice, so the Savior is full of goodness. He longs to do good to His people.
Jesus greatly values Ian Murphy as well. Not because of anything good or meritorious that Ian has done, but because of the cross. Ian is saved and is therefore covered in the precious, valuable blood of Jesus. God delights in Ian and longs to do good to him because Ian is washed in the blood of Jesus. Let this encourage us to pray boldly! Jesus is longing to do good to Ian. He is longing to bless Him and pour out mercy on Him. Let us appeal to our good and generous Savior to heal and restore Ian, full of faith that He longs to do good. For His glory alone…
We need you to pray that Ian would move on command for the doctors tomorrow!
Ian continues to take many small steps toward recovery, which when taken together add up to some pretty major advancements over the past month. In Larissa’s words,
“by God’s kindness, Ian continues to respond to us when we talk to him. My parents visited over the weekend and while my dad was standing by his left side, Ian started moving in his bed toward his voice. He was smiling with the left side of his mouth and moving toward us at the same time. It confirmed in our minds that Ian can definitely hear us and recognize our voices. I believe that he wants us to be near to him, comforting him. Ian also started moving his right arm, which is in a really heavy cast. I can’t imagine the strength it takes to move that arm so praise God!”
Ian has moved for us like this for over a week, but for some reason up till now he wouldn’t respond to the doctors’ requests. Today, though, for the first time Ian responded to a nurse’s request to lift his arm and to move his toes, and she showed that response to a neurosurgeon. That, I think, was the primary reason that a rehab facility is even a consideration this afternoon.
However, tonight one of the doctors asked Ian to respond to commands, and he would not. It was after a long day of activity, so it’s no surprise. That led the insurance company to refuse a move to a rehab center. Tomorrow, we’re going down to appeal and show that Ian does respond to commands. Please pray that Ian would be in one of his wake cycles at the time the doctor tests his responsiveness tomorrow morning (between 9am and 10am), so we can get approval for a move. Pray that the insurance company would be agreeable to this move. We, the neurosurgeon who witnessed Ian’s movements, and most of the nurses who have worked closely with Ian think this is the best thing for him at this stage. Pray that the all-wise God would rule over Ian’s situation and that the right course of action for his recovery would be taken. Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails (Prov 19:21). Pray, most of all, for miracles for Ian.
Ian really is making progress. I learned last night, for example, that some of the medical people were actually considering not doing surgery at all on his vertebra, because they thought it might just heal on its own. I don’t know for sure if they will or they won’t do surgery, but it’s amazing that such an idea was even considered.
His knee still has a long way to go, though. I still can’t imagine the pain he would be in if he were awake, so I still thank God for the coma. He doesn’t feel the pain of his knee injury. I still pray that Ian would wake up soon, but I still praise God that He is wiser and kinder than I am. He knows the perfect time to wake Ian up.
Ian has come a long way from where the doctor said he was three days after the accident. Remember the doctor saying that brain death was imminent? Last night, one of the medical people said, “I think we have something of a miracle here.”
Remember, pray that Ian would respond to the doctor’s command tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers. We know you’re praying.
“O what a deep heavenly mystery this is of persevering prayer. The God who has promised, who longs, whose fixed purpose it is to give the blessing, holds it back. It is to Him a matter of such deep importance that His friends on earth should know and fully trust their rich Friend in heaven, that He trains them, in the school of answer delayed, to find out how their perseverance really does prevail, and what the mighty power is they can wield in heaven, if they do but set themselves to it.”
We have in heaven a rich Friend who longs to pour out blessing on us. Why He holds it back for a time is a deep mystery indeed. But we are told in scripture that God loves persevering prayer and loves to bless those who persevere in their prayers. Let this stir us to be persevere in fervent prayer for Ian’s healing. O what a rich friend we have in heaven. Let us seek His blessing!
The other night, Mary, Larissa, I and an occupational therapist friend, Mary Bennett went to see Ian. Now I know that it was the last time I was to see Ian in that little room where our hearts have been held for the last 3 weeks.
I can’t begin to describe our Father’s lasvish, generosity to the Murphy’s during this hard, very trying time. Not only has He showered them with material blessings of every conceivable kind, He has brought together a unique collection of friends who just happen to know a lot about traumas and hospitals and comas. He’s brought wisdom to Steve and Mary out of no where and everywhere. The church has really been the hands and feet of Jesus, rushing to their aid to provide for them while He shelters and loves them under the shadow of His wing.
The truth and reality of His presence lit up our car on the way home. Mary said, “You know, I’ve been looking at people a lot since all of this has been going on. When I’m shopping and looking at the people around me, I’ve realized that my worst day in the ICU with Jesus is better than their best day they will ever have on earth.” What mother, who watches her first born, day after day, in a coma and suffering, can say this except one who has a secret supply of Strenght, a hidden source of Light and a mysterious flow of Love running into her heart and out of her entire being. Mary knows something that we don’t; she sees something that we can’t and lays the full length and weight of her soul on the Rock that higher than she. We are seeing the things of the age to come, right here and right now. The Kingdom of God is here.
I saw the respiratory therapist yesterday, and he said Ian has a nice strong cough now. Thank you, Lord. They’re still concerned about his level of consciousness, so to remove the trach now could be dangerous. He wouldn’t be awake enough to protect his airway.
Please just keep praying that Ian would let us know that he’s with us and that he would wake up. Ian moves for us, for familiar voices, but he won’t move for the medical staff on command. He’ll move his arm, his fingers, his toes, etc. when we ask him to, but not when they ask him to move. It’s as though he knows it’s not us.
We hear from so many of you who tell us you’re praying. Thank you…
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district. (Matthew 9:27-30)
Why is it that I grow so weary of praying when my prayers are not answered immediately? Why is it that it seems harder to pray as time passes and that the fire that once blazed when I prayed seems to have cooled a bit? In my laziness and unbelief, I find my prayers lagging because I am not seeing immediate and ‘miraculous’ (according to my mind) results. But in His kindness, God pointed me to this passage to freshly stir me for persistent and bold prayers for Ian.
Notice the actions of the beggars. They followed Jesus. They followed behind him and kept asking him, over and over, to have mercy on them. Jesus did not respond immediately to their cry for help. He did not restore their sight the first time or second time they asked. The Savior wanted the two blind men to follow His lead and to keep asking for mercy. It seems that Christ wanted to test their faith first. Would they continue to ask for mercy even when it did not come immediately? Would they continue to follow Jesus, even when He passed them by the first time? The blind men followed Jesus because they believed that He was able and willing to heal them. They had faith in infinite power and tender compassion. Jesus responded to their persistent faith by healing them. He loves to respond to faith.
We too must follow Jesus even when our prayers don’t bring immediate results. As Ben wrote earlier, Christ waits to answer prayers for a very specific and very good reason. Do we believe that Jesus can heal Ian? Absolutely. Then let us continue to follow Jesus and cry out for mercy. Let us be stirred by the example of the blind men. They weren’t deterred when their first request was not granted. They knew what Jesus was like, so they followed Him. Let us do the same. For His glory alone…
Our blog started in October of 2006 after Ian Murphy was in a very serious car accident and suffered a tramuatic brain injury. We have shared his story since then, from ICU, to a rehabilitation center, and to his home. The main authors have been Steve, his dad, and Larissa, his girlfriend.
In August of 2009, Steve was diagnosed with brain cancer and was given a prognosis of 14 months to live. He survived for seven weeks and went to be with His savior on October 8.
We, Ian and Larissa, were blessed to get married on Steve’s birthday, 8/28/10, to begin a newer life together. Our Murphy family still all lives in the same town, surrounded with beautiful friends, nieces and nephews.
We have been blessed with good biblical teaching and we know that God is sovereign. It is His will for Ian to be afflicted. We know that because Jesus died for us, God will one day receive us into glory. We are promised Christ- and so we eagerly await eternity with him.
Our church, our friends, and people who don’t even know Ian, and now Steve, have been incredibly supportive and have been praying non-stop. God has already made this a positive experience for so many people, and he will continue to teach us great things about himself through Ian and Steve’s suffering.
Thank you for reading our story. And thank you for praying.
The Lord’s prayer starts with these words: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” Have you ever considered just the first four words of this prayer? First, we see that God is our Father. Like an earthly father, God is tender. He is compassionate. He loves His children and delights to be with them. He passionately protects them and watches over them. He is extraordinarily generous and loves to pour out good gifts on His precious children. He is everything we ever wanted in an earthly Father in the infinite degree.
Second, we see that God is in heaven. He reigns over all the universe from His heavenly throne. All power is His and He does what ever pleases Him. The oceans are but a drop in His hand and the nations are as nothing. When He speaks, planets explode into existence and light shines forth. He controls life and death and all of creation does his bidding. There is no one greater or more glorious than Him. He is the King of the Universe. God is our Infinite Father. What an encouragement for prayer. He is infinitely powerful and infinitely tender. He is fiercely strong yet he is also deeply compassionate. He deeply cares about Ian Murphy and has the power necessary to heal Him. Oh how this encourages me to pray for Ian. When you pray, remember that God is your infinite Father. He loves to hear our requests and He has the power to do all that He pleases. For His glory…
I thought I would share some excerpts from a couple other people who visited Ian.
From Jenn Grover:
I was visiting Ian last night [Tuesday night] and witnessed a lot of activity and it was obvious that he was making attempts to complete all of the commands the nurse and I were giving him.
When asked to move the big toe on his left foot, he complied. There was also a lot of blinking of his eyes.
When I said goodbye to him he moved his head. Whether that was voluntary or involuntary, it is difficult to know. I do strongly believe that he was aware of me and the staff to a much greater degree than he was last Thursday.
From Randy Wolfe:
I spent nearly an hour with Ian this evening [Wednesday], and I was surprised that he responded to me at all. I asked him to move his hand then his foot and he did. What really got me though was he turned his head to the right a little when I was talking to him, then I went to his left side and he turned it in that direction while I was talking to him. The more I spoke the more he turned towards my voice.
Steve Murphy
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lam. 3:22-23
