The One Who Holds the World in His Hands
The nighttime hours seemed to stretch ahead into an unwelcome expanse of time. Moonlight spilled through the window, a dim light illuminating the empty spot at the foot of the bed where my dog, Genevieve, usually slept.
"No news is good news." Checking my phone, once again, I assured myself with the doctor's words. No missed calls.
Good news.
Another set of words floated through my mind in the haze of those hours. The same words I'd sung at church that past Sunday.
"You hold my world in Your hands
And I'm not afraid my world is safe
In Your hands..." -You Hold My World, Israel Houghton
Like a broken record, I could hear the lyrics repeating, reassuring, a meditation that pushed the worries away.
"You hold my world in Your hands
And I'm not afraid my world is safe…"
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More awake now, I turned that song in my head into a more intentional silent prayer.
"Father God…you know how important Genevieve is to me, how much I love her. Please keep her safe tonight, and bring your angels around her, please help her make it through this. Please guide the doctors as they take care of her- and thank you for your provision so we can pay for this. I'm not afraid. You're in control."
After that, I fell asleep until morning.
Earlier that day my dog had been prescribed a new medication. Seeing the giant chewable tablets for the first time, I'd wondered how I was going to get her to take them. That concern was unfounded. She'd gobbled down her first pill, obviously thinking it was a treat. Surprised (and pleased) I put the remaining two weeks supply of medicine on the counter and forgot about it for the next several hours. When it was time to give her another dose in the evening, the bottle was missing from where I'd left it. I immediately had a bad feeling as I searched around me.
The new dog door we'd recently installed meant she could have taken the bottle outside without my notice. I knew a little plastic pill bottle was no match for her if she wanted what was inside it. Angry at myself for not thinking of this before, I did my best to remain in the moment and do what was best for my dog. There was no time for recriminations. Sure enough, under a tree in the backyard, I found the pill bottle chewed open, all of the pills apparently consumed. I ran back into the house to see how Genevieve was doing. My giant black poodle jumped up from the chair she'd been sleeping on and licked my hand, seemingly her usual happy self.
A quick call to the vet confirmed there was no time to waste. Though my dog seemed fine for the moment, the dosage she'd consumed could be fatal. My husband came home while I was still on the phone and within minutes, we were on our way to vet ER. After getting confirmation that Genevieve had, indeed, eaten all the pills, we had to leave her overnight for observation with the assurance that "no news was good news" and that we'd hear from the doctor first thing in the morning.
I didn't expect to sleep at all that night. How could I? I love my dog- and so does the rest of my family. She's an integral part of our world. The doctor had been clear about the danger she would be in over the next few hours as we waited to see how her body reacted to the overdose. But thankfully, I was able to sleep after I prayed. I knew God had my world in his hands- and that included my beloved dog. I could trust God, no matter what happened.
I woke up with the song still in my head.
"You hold my world in Your hands
And I'm not afraid my world is safe
In Your hands..."
A short while later, the vet called to check in and give a report. Genevieve had made it through the night with nothing more than some high blood pressure that they'd been able to control with medication. The prognosis is good.
Thank you, Jesus.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." -Psalm 46:1
Is there something that is causing you anxiety right now? Nothing is too small or too big. God cares. He loves you, and this world is in his hands. Take it to him in prayer. If you would like me to join you in prayer, please feel free to contact me, through the comments or private message on my contact page.
