Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Doing the Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” Matt 19:26.

I don’t usually get excited about weddings, but last night was different. The daughter of a hard working doctor in south Alabama had been growing up beautifully in her doctor-daughter world until she suffered a brain injury two years ago. A drunken driver had changed her life. For the past two years she and those who love her have lived through times of determination, despair, faith and hard work as she has recovered from the devastating injury.

This wonderful girl and her parents are Christian, so they did not go through it alone. They knew that God was with them. They declared their dependence on His mercy in the final solo of her wedding last night, “Amazing Grace”.

The bride was beautiful. She may have limped ever so slightly as she stepped down from the altar but I have never seen such a victorious smile.

It seems like we have enough on our hands as Christian doctors. Time pressures, business decisions, intense healthcare decision-making, the task of living our faith as we care for our patients---this all seems like plenty to do on this side of heaven---but then we get to do real life as well.

As we seek to work with our Lord in redeeming a broken world, we too are caught up in its brokenness. Both the joys and the severity of life do not just happen to our patients; they happen to us. We don’t just shed tears for the children and spouses of our patients; we shed tears for our own—and we still have the task of serving our Lord every day.

Sometimes I look at all there is to Christian doctor living and say, “It’s just not possible to do it all well.”

It’s certainly not possible, but it’s Christian.

“With God, all things are possible” is true for Christians only because we can do all things, “with God”. And, when we do the impossible with God, as did this doctor, wife and daughter, the whole world takes notice and gives Him glory.

Dear God,
Thank you for your healing touch in this young woman’s life. Help us each day to live the impossible with you.
Amen

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