ER Visit

“…I am the light of the world…” (John 8:12, NIV 1984).


Yesterday, one of my patients called from home with a painful, swollen abdomen. Knowing what it is like to sit in emergency rooms for hours, I went to his home to try and avoid that ordeal for him. Unfortunately, he was tachypneic and tachycardic, so I spent the day with him in the ER in spite of my efforts. While I was working him up, I spotted a church friend and thought how nice it was for him to visit my patient, but then discovered he was there with his mother as a patient. Not long after that I greeted another church friend and assumed the same, but discovered his wife was also sick in a room down the hall. I ended up praying with three families and three patients from the same small church in the same day.

It’s obvious that being God’s friend doesn’t keep one out of the emergency room.
Following biblical guidelines may help protect us from many difficulties in this world, but followers of Christ get no free pass through the exigencies of life. We still fall into dark holes we must climb out of.

Thank God we have two advantages in the darkness.

We know that the darkness is not the last thing we will know. As my pastor often says, “The worst thing that happens to you will never be the last thing that happens to you. The last thing that happens to you will be Jesus.”

We have the light of the world climbing with us in the darkness. God shines in our darkness. He shines with peace that soothes our fear; He shines with power that energizes our climb; He puts purpose into our suffering; and He most often does all three through His people.

Dear Father,
Thank you for always being here to light my way. Help me to open my eyes. Help me place myself where you can shine through me for others.
Amen