A night's fever

1:30 Am awakened with Tirzah's desperate cries.

How long had she been crying?

Daddy, Rescuer, Hero, saves her from the crib that keeps.  Her heat melting through to his bare chest and her shaking arms held against his strength.

He passes her off to me and I can feel her heat, resting in the cradle of my arm.  She drinks deeply as we rock back and forth; back and forth.  I love to hear her rhythmic breaths as she drinks it down deep.  Healing to her as well as to me: she is well enough to accept the offered milk.

Dr. Daddy reads up on how to offer respite to our little girl.  Off come the socks and one under layer, that the heat might find it's way from her tiny body a bit easier.

And she and I continue to rock- Mama and Daughter- in one healing fluid motion.

Was it the shots that gave her the fever?  The medicine already taking effect within her body?  The shots that hurt as they break the skin.  The shots that hurt the body to burn.

The shots that offer healing and cool refreshment from illness.

Haven't I experienced shots of my own these past days?  To, in essence, inject myself with the Word of Christ, the grace of Christ.  But His Word breaks deep upon my flesh and it hurts to lay my wants and desires aside to put another's first.  His grace burns down deep and it hurts to fight the ingratitude and present offerings of thanksgiving instead.

But it is these, His Word, His grace, His very own Hurt, that offers the greatest healing; the coolest refreshment to the heavy-laden and sin-sickened soul.

Now it is my turn to be rocked- Savior and Beloved- in one healing fluid motion.  And the fever breaks.