Clay in the Hands

The door was closed when I got to the room early this morning.  The nurse was at the desk in the hall adjacent to the door.  I gave him a smile and then put my ear to the door to try and determine if it was safe to enter.  I heard all kinds of voices so I hesitated.  I have opened more than one hospital room door to things I can never un-see.

I knocked and heard her familiar voice say, “Come on in.”  I opened the door to a party of family members gathered around her bed.  There was a warmth in the room – and not just because the thermostat was set to 83 degrees.  It was obvious that this room was filled with joy – even in the midst of facing heart surgery.

Beverly shared with me that her daily reading this morning came out of Isaiah 40 and it brought peace to the room.  The passage says, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

There is no denying that Beverly’s hope is in the Lord.  She had a glow about her – even in the face of major surgery.  I hadn’t been there long when another knock came from the door.  The transport nurse stuck his head in and ushered us outside into the hall – where the party continued.  There was a bed waiting there to be wheeled into the room in order to serve as Beverly’s chariot to the OR.  But she wanted a minute with her sons.

So the transport nurse and the rest of the group waited outside in the hall.  In just a few minutes, the door opened and I expected one of the sons to stick his head out and tell the nurse she was ready.  But no, it was Beverly, out of bed and strolling out to crawl up in the transport bed.  Only Beverly!

There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that she was ready and no doubt where she gets her peace.  She was clear in pointing out to all who could hear her, God is in control.  That’s where she and the whole family find peace.  That is where she and the whole family find joy – real joy – even in the face of trials.

Thanks Beverly for reminding me that God has this!

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Sometimes we need to remember that we are not alone.  We get so pulled into and dragged down by the things of this life that we can’t see the bigger picture.  We have all heard the old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.”  This wise saying may mean more to us here in west Texas than it does in other parts of the world that actually have trees and forests.

Out here they say “if your dog runs away, you can still see him running three days later.”  So when we see a  tree we see it’s surroundings.  But in the midst of a group of trees, it is hard to tell just what you are look at.

The same is true with our daily lives.  We often get so close to our responsibilities – our struggles – that we fail to see the bigger picture.  The result is often a feeling of abandon.  We don’t think anyone could possibly understand the pressure we are under or the responsibilities that we carry.

But the reality is that we are not alone.  As believers, we have our heavenly guide.  We have a savior that has been there and done that – without sin.  And beyond that, we have what the writer of Hebrews calls a “great cloud of witnesses” cheering us on.  Our family and friends who have passed this way before.

So, in the midst of getting this week started, with all its many tasks and overwhelming pressure, remember that you are never alone.

Now go to it and be a blessing today!

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