Saturday, February 07, 2015

It's Going To Be All Right

Hanging out in a hospital all day as a patient is probably one of my least favorite activities in life, and worse yet, spending the day as a spectator. This past week my wife had back surgery to correct some pinched nerve problems, which went well thank you. We don’t know how much nerve damage has been done, but in a few weeks she’ll be able to tell. So, we started the day at 3 a.m. to be at the hospital by five to check in and get started for a scheduled eight o’clock surgery. Now we all know that ain’t gonna happen, and it wasn’t until a little after ten before she entered to the arena. Pre-op, although busy with nurses hustling around doing their thing, was calm and peaceful as family and friends of other patients were coming and going delivering well wishes and getting the scoop on the operation at hand. O.R. nurses, anesthesiologists and surgeons each in turn spoke with their patient explaining the procedure and assuring them everything was going to be fine. Conversation in the surgical waiting room revolved around what was going on in the O.R. and how things were going to change in the patient’s life. The room was full of anxiety and anticipation waiting for word from the surgeon who has promised to speak with the family as soon as the procedure was over. The peace and calmness of murmuring voices was interrupted now and again with jubilance for a report of success, tagged with an optimistic outlook for the future, to one sad and not so promising outcome, which snapped the room back to attention and the seriousness of the day. My wife’s surgeon greeted me and told me everything went as planned and rattled off what must be done for good healing, which floated away nearly unheard, with the inner pressure sigh of relief we release when told everything will be alright. Well, her recovery went a little slower than anticipated and needless to say, we didn’t get home until nine-thirty that night, a long day in anybody’s book.

[Philippians 4:4-7] Having a physical peace comes from trusting and faith in one another as we deal with the day to day business of life. But when the trials of life pull us down our peace can be shattered and our spirit brought low. That’s when our spirit cries out for understanding and we turn to God for answers. But, when God is approached by people who are lacking trust and faith in the power of God they find it difficult to accept the answers they receive. Some years ago Louise Fletcher penned words with which many of us easily identify. “I wish there were some wonderful place, Called the Land of Beginning Again, where all our mistakes and all our heartaches, Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door, And never be put on again.” Without the love of God in our life, we may be alive on the outside, but we’re dead on the inside and ever searching for that elusive place of Beginning Again. For the Christian, the Land of Beginning Again is not merely a wish but a reality. The apostle Paul assures us, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins… But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ…” (Ephesians 2:1-10). Peace and new beginnings start with Christ and the worries of the world are answered with the assurance that everything will be all right. David said, “…Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…” (Psalm 23:4). If I’m walking in the shadow, I’m not casting the shadow for I am no longer dead. I walk with God and everything’s going to be all right.

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