God rocked my world with hospital visits, if it wasn’t
already apparent (hello I just wrote 6 blogs about it!!). This particular
ministry has, for the first time in my life, introduced me to the human
condition in the global extent. I have seen suffering and pain in the US…I
learned a lot about injustice towards people in order to gain my degree. But
seeing what I saw this last week has put faces, emotions, and stories to it.
The difference from what I learned in college, though, is that it’s not just
America who is affected. People all over the globe are facing so much pain and
suffering. I’m blessed though. In my country, there are laws and standards that
protect and value each human being. My new friends aren’t receiving the same
blessings I have received my whole life…and it’s humbling.
What do you do? It’s easy to judge Tanzania or Africa or the
Third World. It’s easy to get angry and judge the rich people who aren’t doing
anything about the lowly and poor. But God gave me an interesting opportunity
through visiting patients in a third world hospital. I had to come to terms
with the fact that I don’t have money to help these people. I don’t know a lot
of rich people in the states to tell them to give money either. Honestly, there
are thousands of people in these hospitals and I don’t know if I could find a
way to help each one of them financially or materially.
Honestly, I don’t think the solution to the problem is money.
God wanted me to find another way.
I profess that Christ is my Savior. I claim that Jesus
Christ, a perfect man, took the sins of the world onto the cross with Him, died
(leaving the sins in the grave), was raised from the dead, and is sitting with
His Heavenly Father right now. This is a message of hope. The Bible says that
this is the Good News. This is what I
have said I have believed. This is
what I have preached. Now I had an opportunity to believe it and really stand
firm in it.
I saw a ton of pain and suffering. I’ve seen and experienced
amazing, high-quality medical care. I don’t understand why I was blessed to be
born in America and know that when I went to the doctor, I’d get better. I had
to lay that down at the Lord’s feet. I don’t have money. But I do have hope.
And hope doesn’t disappoint. These hospital visits were opportunities to not
ask the questions that only God knew the answers to. He wanted me to give what
I did have. I have Love. I have Hope. I only have these things because He first
Loved me. He told me to love my neighbor as myself and then He gave me the
opportunity to be obedient to that commandment.
He didn’t ask me to walk in there and have pity. He didn’t
ask me to get discouraged. He didn’t ask me to throw in the towel because it
seemed like a hopeless situation. He said that when you visit and comfort the
lowly, you visit and comfort Jesus (Matthew 25: 41-46). He said to be strong
and courageous and not to be frightened or dismayed (Johsua 1:9). He said that
I am a co-heir with Christ provided I suffer with Him in order that I may be
glorified with Him (Romans 8:17). He also said I’m more than a conqueror
through Christ Jesus my Lord (Romans 8). And I want others to know that about themselves,
too. So for me to look at a person in a hospital bed and think there is no hope
is saying that God is a liar, He is weak, and He doesn’t keep His promises. I
firmly DO NOT believe that. My God is HUGE. He is everywhere, in everything, and He unconditionally loves His
children. I also believe that He choose me to tell His children that message. I
am honored, yet humbled, that He would choose me despite me.
The question, though, isn’t whether I believe that I am
worthy of His gifts; but rather, will I be obedient to what He entrusts me to
do? Am I going to stand firm in His promises? Am I going to show a skeptical
world a different way to live?
Yes.
I will.
