Recently my family and I went through a pretty scary event. My husband had major surgery on June 17 and I must admit that many of us were fearful of the outcome. We knew God was in control. We knew that we had many (MANY) people who were fervently praying for us. And still, we were scared.
As I've said many times on this blog, my prayer daily is that God would make me a blessing to others. That God would use me in a powerful way. Every single day I pray that God will empty me of me and fill me with more of Him. Yet I found myself in a place where if using me to be a blessing to others caused me to have to give up the love of my life, my husband, well... then maybe I wasn't as ready as I thought I was.
During the first couple hours of his surgery a loud voice came over the intercom system at the hospital. We had been used to these announcements for a while now... paging this doctor and that doctor. But this one was different. We knew this one was different. Perhaps it was the urgency in her voice. Maybe it was how THIS announcement was more crystal clear than any other one we'd heard that morning. And so... at a table surrounded by people I love the most in this life... we listened. Intently. And here is what it said...
"Attention Hospital... CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2. Attention... we have a CODE BLUE on surgical floor 2."
THIS was my husband's floor! I felt my knees go weak. I felt my heart sink deep into my chest. For a minute I lost it. I felt hot all over. Sick to my stomach and more fearful than I've ever been in my life. And then these thoughts came over me...
WHY isn't anyone at my table talking? Could it be that they are as worried as I am? WHY would God take Him from me? This can NOT be happening.Was this what Paul meant when he talked about suffering for Christ in the New Testament?
Was this this kind of suffering Romans teaches that produces perseverance?
Was this the suffering of Christ?
Was this God's design?
Was this God's purpose of using me to be... a blessing?
For several minutes I was frozen in fear. Unable to talk. Paralyzed.
And then the news came. It wasn't him. Praise GOD!
Thank you Jesus!Our sighs of relief were heavy in the room.
We were grateful.
Thankful.
But...
Even though the Code Blue didn't belong to our loved one... it belonged to someone. Another family. Someone else's suffering. Their pain had just begun. Our relief was their reality. And thus, once again, my heart was heavy for these who were... left behind.
My husband came out of surgery 8 hours later and we were PRAISING GOD for His protection and His provision... for tremendous surgeons, wonderful doctors and phenomenal nurses who took care of my husband during some of the scariest hours of our lives.
But that family... the one who had lost their loved one on that day.. June 17th. They were still heavy on my mind.
And it got me thinking...
We will all face our own Code Blue one day.
All of us.
Not one of us is exempt.
There will be a time when we will all face our final days. Our final hours. The day that God will call us from this earth to begin an eternity in one of two places.
It's coming.
Our own Code Blue.
It could be today. It could be tomorrow. It could be next year, or it could be 25 years from now.
But we can be sure of one thing. It will come. One day.
So... it got me thinking even further. How are we living today? What kind of life are we living today that will make a difference for tomorrow? How are we allowing God to use us for His glory?
Who's lives are we touching?
Who are we lifting up in prayer?
How are we serving our spouse?
Is our focus on earthly possessions that will pass away or on things of eternity that will last forever?
How are our relationships?
When others see us - do they see the love of the Father?
Do we forgive those who've wronged us?
Life is short. We're only here for a while. Passing through this life. Our goal this side of heaven should be focused on shining for His glory and drawing people to Himself. When others look at us - they should see Jesus and all He died for us to have.
As Gloria Gaither says,
"Jesus intended for us to be overwhelmed by the blessings of regular days. He said it was the reason He had come: 'I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'"These are the regular days we're living now. But they're the reason Jesus came. The reason He died on a cross. So that we could experience life abundantly. To live fully. To make each day count. Because the bottom line is - no one knows when the end is coming.
John 9:4 (HCSB) says,
"We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work."In a devotional book called
A Heart of Forgiveness (100 Devotions for a Woman's Heart), day 81 has this to offer about making each day count...
"The words of John 9:4 remind us that "night" is coming for all of us. But until then, God gives us each day and fills it to the brim with possibilities. The day is presented to us fresh and clean at midnight, free of charge, but we must beware: Today is a non-renewable resource - once it's gone, it's gone forever. Our responsibility, of course, it to use this day in the service of God's will and in accordance with His commandments. Today is a priceless gift that has been given to you by God - don't waste it! Don't stand on the sidelines as life's parade passes you by. Instead, search for the hidden possibilities that God has placed along your path. This day is a one-of-a-kind treasure that can be put to good use - or not. Your challenge is to use this day joyfully and productively. And while you're at it, encourage others to do likewise. After all, night is coming when no one can work..."I know from experience that often times we focus on things that don't matter. We worry about things we can't control. We spend our days focused on things that won't matter a week from now, let alone in eternity. What matters most to God is that we spend every second of our lives worshiping Him and bringing Him honor and glory. Every day belongs to Him and every breath is a gift from a God who loves us more than we could ever imagine (Eph 1:4, "Long ago, even before He made the world God loved us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.").
How are we living our lives? How are we making each day count? How are we pleasing the Father with our passion for His creation and how are we displaying His love to His children?
Night is coming. Our code blue will be here one day... there's urgency in deciding NOW how we are going to live for Him!
Finding
JOY in the
JOurne
Y,
www.wendybender.blogspot.com
