Exodus 20:3; You shall have no other gods before or besides me......... As I took care of this precious patient this weekend, I was blown away by this flashing green, red and yellow light in her room. The family had placed it there above her head. I was told not to get in between it and the patient. As I approached the device it would chant without stopping. I was so amazed. This was their god!!! Can you imagine? On the device was a half naked elephant. Come to find out this was the highest of their gods.
I ended up at first just staring at it not knowing what to do in a room that had idols set up. There were statues in different parts of her room and even gifts laid at one of the statues feet. The more I moved about the room I was totally like "Ok God, how is it that you could use me in this situation?" I knew I was totally out of my element. For those of you who do not know... Jen, Amy and I are all critical care nurses. I recently left our unit where we had all worked together on nights for over 5 years. I am now a part of a resource team and only go to Critical Care Units in different areas : Trauma, Neuro, Surgical, Medical or Cardiac. Sometimes the job can be very exhausting. You never know what you are going to walk into. It can break your heart and suck the life right out of you and leave you feeling that you have nothing else to give. I praise God that I work part time and I am able to stay home with my girls. I try to work 2 days a week, which are 12 hour shifts. I leave my house at 6am and return home around 8pm at night. Very long, exhausting days with very sick patients. But the reason I am telling you this is because Amy, Jen and I all feel that this job we do with the sick and dying are a part of our ministry. We feel with all our hearts that God has placed us with the sickest patients and the dying for a reason. We are sometimes the only light in the dark and have endured suffering at times for where we stood with God. But before I go to work every week I get up at 4:30 and I pray: "Father let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I yield my life to you. Use me today Father. Give me the patients that you want me to have. Let me be your vessel today. Whatever happens Father I trust you."
Then the flesh kicks in and I have doubt as I drive into this level one trauma center not knowing what God has in store for me. Where is my trust?
So Saturday when I arrived and there was a very sick patient with her god running off of electricity, I was like "Oh my God, How? How are you going to use me? I can't do this."
I didn't know whether to be mad or sad. At first I could even feel my flesh rising up in me and saying things like, "You're kidding. You have to plug your god in! MY God is plugged into me all of the time, and He doesn't need electricity. He invented the electricity for goodness sakes!!"
But thank God that I have the Holy Spirit that takes over. I went in and with an open mind, I began to have the desire to want God to use me in whatever way He wanted to. It began to rise up in me just as I had prayed earlier.
I took care of this patient and ended up being so blessed. I fell so in love with her family (which was extremely large). I hugged and met each and everyone of them. They were the most gracious and kind family that I have ever met. I would look at them and feel such love for them, Unexplainable Love. I can't even put it into words what I felt for them.
I would pray for them quietly as I worked in the room and I heard the softest little voice in my heart say to me: "Be the light with how you treat them, how you help them, how you respect them, show them MY LOVE!!! Show them His Love!!!!"
Can I tell you it was so easy!!! I was led by the Holy Spirit!! I embraced them. I showed them the Love of Christ!! The rest is up to God!! Praise Him that I can leave it at His feet. I was obedient and He will do the rest. What a relief to know that my God is so big that He can reach anybody if He chooses!
I wanted to share this with you because it is so easy for us in our little world where we Christians are in a protected little bubble A LOT of the time. We have to break out of our security nets and walk where Jesus wants us to walk. Where the dying and the hungry and the ones who have no idea who OUR God is!!! Step out of your comfort zone. Our God is BIG. Let's be careful not to put Him in a box. Sometimes all He wants for us to do is SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST!! He will do the rest. Remember LOVE is the greatest gift of all. LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Love others as you want to be treated.
Those precious people are my neighbors and yours. Stop stepping over the ones who need to know God to get to the ones who are like us.
You and I may never see the seeds that are planted until we stand in glory with God one day. But those seeds will reap a harvest!!! Spread the Love. Love the unloveable and please don't judge. God died for everyone. Make a choice. PUSH that Flesh down!! Push it down. The LORD has our heart. SURRENDER your life to him. He knows what to do with it.
Blessings to you all.
Learning to surrender,
Robbie
