Rogers Update 4/29/2021
July 10, 2021
April 29, 2021
Dear Friends,
I remember watching a TV show when I was a kid called the “Six Million Dollar Man”. (Obviously inflation and government spending would change the title today!) There was a famous line that was said at the start of each show – you are probably thinking it even before you read it – “We can rebuild him; we can make him better!” Well, I have been rebuilt! Friday, April 23rd, I had my left knee replaced. (Right knee was rebuilt in 2004.) However, even before either knee was rebuilt, I was remade! At the age of five years old, I came to Christ for eternal life. Spiritually, I am a new creation and that cost Jesus a lot more than my knee replacement! One day when Jesus comes back, I will have both knees replaced again along with the rest of my body. I will no longer be new in my spiritual existence alone, but also new in my physical body as well! I have often wondered that if in the catching up to be with Christ in eternity, will my metal parts be left behind to clang on the floor where I was standing? Wow, that is too deep for me to theologically figure out!
The knee surgery went well! (I should know ‘cause I was there at the time!) Actually, I don’t have any memory of what happened after they rolled me into the surgical room. I know they did the knee replacement because my knee hurt in a whole new way after they did the surgery! The truth is I came out of the procedure feeling much better than I did after the last knee replacement. Thanks for praying!! (I told the surgeon beforehand that I had a lot of people praying for him to which he responded, “Amen!”)
The new way of doing knee replacement is they send you home the day of surgery. (Last time I was in the hospital for four days!) After one and a half days the blocker shots they had given me in the back and above my left knee to stop pain began wearing off. Yep, they had diffidently done surgery on my left knee! There was now no question about that! Ooooooowche….! I meet with the physical therapist tomorrow and will begin physical therapy within a few days. (I have been doing exercises the doctor gave me to do until I could get started with the therapist.)
In my last newsletter I asked for prayer that God might open doors to build relationships with the nurses, doctors, and staff in my upcoming surgery. Again, thanks for praying because I had many opportunities to talk about Christ in my life. God has even opened a way to allow me to follow up with some of the individuals I talked with. God is always amazing!
Continue to pray for Beabea! She has been a professional caregiver for many years; however, I don’t think I truly understood how good she was until watching her take care of me this last week after the surgery. Wow! She’s good! Beabea truly knows how to take care of a person in my situation. No wonder the clients she had as a caregiver kept asking for her to come back!
Finally, I have thought of a verse in the Bible quite often this week. It is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul wrote it concerning his own life struggle with difficulty and perhaps even pain. After Paul asked God three times to deliver him from whatever Paul was going through, the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Then Paul wrote his own thoughts, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” The phrase “God’s grace is sufficient for me” is not just a set of words we Christians use to sound spiritual and help our “godly” image improve before others. These words have real meaning from the real God! Because Christ lives, I can face tomorrow as well as today!
Thanks for listening to me, not forgetting me, and praying for me!
From the one who is being made perfect in weakness,
John (and Beabea) Rogers
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