The day after she landed, I called Tante Sofia.  As you all know, we have been praying for her since she suffered a fall in Surabaya which resulted in hip replacement surgery.  To make matters worse, days before she flew back to Los Angeles, she suffered an infection.  We were all worried because even without the infection, we couldn’t imagine how she could endure a 20-hour flight home. By the grace of God, she made it. When I called her, she was on her way to the hospital to take care of the infection. She was tired but relieved.

There is something else that I’d like to share with you: She remained positive!  Never once did she make any complaint!  She could have and should have because she went to Indonesia to see her brother, Andreas—whom we have been praying for—and to have a vacation.  But because of her fall and the ensuing surgery, she was stuck in the hospital and at home till the day of her departure.  And one more thing: She did not fall out of her carelessness; a supermarket worker who was rushing accidentally bumped her. When we talked, she only said that God is good and that she was thankful for His care.

The word apathy comes from a Greek word that means no feeling.  It later develops to mean “no interest or no concern.” The antonym or the opposite of apathy is enthusiasm which interestingly comes from a Greek word that means “inspired or possessed by God.”  In other words, filled with God.  Later it develops into “full of passion.”  Tante Sofia is enthusiastic, in the very sense of the word; she is full of God that she has remained positive throughout the entire ordeal.  No wonder, she did not succumb to self-pity, much less bitterness; instead, she thanked and praised God. She surrendered to God.

Life is full of surprises, but God is never surprised.  He knows and is in control over all surprises. More reasons for us to be enthusiastic.

Pastor Paul