The Lord Himself goes before us…
Several years ago, I remember leaving Tim in the waiting room of Women’s Hospital. The nurse escorted me through the pre-op area into my assigned room. As soon as she left me in the room, a wave of grief overwhelmed me. I did not want to be there. I did not want to have to do this. I did not want this to be a part of my story. Another miscarriage at 13 weeks. Another loss.
As the tears began to fall, the anesthesiologist pulled back the curtain. He and I were both caught off guard. Him by my tears and me by his presence in my grief. Knowing why I was there, he said a few encouraging words and we shared a laugh.
Tim came in and I was fine from there on out. The wave of grief subsided. I have never forgotten that anesthesiologist or the words he shared.
This past week I’m imaging my friend found herself in a similar predicament. Leaving the security of her husband and their car, she traversed the threshold of the hospital. I wonder if a wave of grief overwhelmed her? I do not want to be here. I do not want to do this. I do not want this to be part of my story.
I am sure she was thankful for the curative nature of the surgery but maybe she lamented the cost of the cure.
As she crossed the threshold of the hospital, her tears began to fall. But no sooner than they fell, she looked up and saw our Savior sitting in a chair waiting for her. He came in the body of a 4-foot 11 inch, brown-hair, brown-eyed woman. He got up with arms open wide and said…I’ve been waiting for you.
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8
I love this verse and I love how God chose to fulfill this verse this week. He used His body, His church, His daughter to fulfill His promise. I wonder if my friend thought she was alone when she entered into the hospital? Only to be delighted to find her Lord, disguised as her friend, on the other side of the threshold. You see, she was never really alone.
Maybe my friend needed an extra measure of His presence to rest confidently in His promise.
God had made an arrangement with her in mind. He knew traversing the threshold of the hospital would be overwhelming. So He sent His daughter, her friend, to go before her.
Thank you, Lord for putting a sense of urgency in my sister’s heart to be there early. To be present, even before the patient arrived. Thank you, Lord, for her sensitivity to your Spirit. Thank you, Lord, for her obedience. Thank you, Lord, that you never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you, Lord, that you go before us. Thank you, Lord, that you desire to use us—your sons and daughters to fulfill your word. Thank you that my friend got to feel your physical embrace as she entered the hospital.
May she never forget looking up to find her Savior waiting for her…
