Her fingers and lips were blue. Her skin was an ashy grey. Everything about Mary was blue-grey. If you met Mary you’d have noticed her unhealthy color, but her daily routine wouldn’t have given away her medical condition.
Our friend Mary lived with an oxygen level of 64%. Over the years Mary’s body began to adapt to the 64% level by restricting the amount of oxygen flowing to her extremities and skin, salvaging as much as it could for brain function. Mary worked as a nurse, providing patient care in the days when that meant lifting, turning and tugging. She enjoyed gardening and boating. Living a normal life, Mary and her body adapted, functioning below the full requirement of oxygen a body needs. At 64% you & I would be passed out on the floor from lack of oxygen.
In order for us to function at our best capacity we need to have greater than 90% oxygen in our blood. When the oxygen levels in your blood begin to dip into the 80% range your brain is lacking the oxygen it needs and grey cells begin to die.
Eighteen years ago Mary had a full heart and lung transplant.
I remember the first time I saw her after the transplant – she was pink.
Mary described how she felt. After years of her body adapting to the lack of life giving oxygen the physical sensation of having enough oxygen for ALL parts of her body was like experiencing new life. She talked about how much more she could do and accomplish with the new heart & lungs providing her a complete supply of oxygen. She realized that while she thought her life was full, she had no idea what she had been missing. Life with a 90% oxygen level afforded Mary a new level of functioning.
Think of God’s Glory/Presence in our life as an oxygen level.
We can function at a 64% level. Acceptable, if we adapt. Like Mary, we could live our entire life at 64% and be happy.
If you are on this journey with the Lord I pray that you’ve had God moments when you sensed and experienced life at a little higher %. A great worship service, around the altar after a message, a prayer time; a moment when you knew that you had come into contact with God’s Glory/Presence. It’s in these moments when a little higher % make us both hungry for more and discouraged with the knowledge of what little we have.
After Mary’s double transplant she was so susceptible to infection and germs that she wasn’t allowed in public for six months. Her family had to wear masks and limit their exposure to her, even within their own home. There was great concern that the transplant, which brought a new oxygen level, would be rejected should she be exposed to any contaminant, germ or disease. Prior to and after the transplant Mary’s doctor’s infused her with anti-rejection drugs. Taking medicine, designed to equip her body to be receptive to the new organs, improved Mary’s chances of being successful. No matter how many anti-rejection drugs the doctors gave Mary it was still up to her to monitor her exposure to germs. The years of waiting, the pain of surgery and the months of isolation would have been for naught had she let down her guard and allowed herself to be exposed to germs.
Like Mary, we can begin making preparation to go to a new level. There is a life in Jesus that can consistently be lived higher than a 64% level. In the parable of the sower Jesus taught that some would develop thirty (64% oxygen), some would develop sixty (80% oxygen) and some a hundred (90% oxygen).
Mark 4:8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times."
Be encouraged, there is more beyond the 64% level.
Be encouraged, exposing yourself to God’s presence and His Glory will change the atmosphere and environment around you.
Be encouraged, we are to grow strong in the private place before emerging to the public place.
Be encouraged, your oxygen/glory level is rising.
Kim Angela
Authors Note:Mary is fine and doing well.
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You haven't blogged in a long time. We are in our new home. Hope all is well with you. Share
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