Telling God’s Stories

Telling God’s Stories

I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Psalm 123:1-2

One afternoon, after finishing my rounds at the hospital, I called my wife to tell her I’d be home as soon as I stopped by the nursing home. After seeing the patients I’d gone to see there, I was on my way out the door when one of the nurses stopped me.

“Dr. Anderson? I’m sorry to bother you, but can you check on Coach before you leave?”

Her request was so nonchalant that I assumed Coach probably needed company more than he needed a doctor. But I was happy to do it. He had been one of my first patients, and we’d been friends for more than twenty-five years.

How are you feeling?” I asked Coach as I entered his room.

“I’m really good, but I’m getting tired of this world. I’m ready to go.”

“I understand,” I said. “But we can take assurance in knowing that, even before we were born, God recorded the number of our days on earth in the book of life.”

My words were meant to encourage him, but he didn’t seem to be paying attention. Instead, he was looking past me, up and to the right, in what I’ve come to call “the gaze of glory.” I’ve often seen it with patients who are about to leave this world.

I pulled up a chair and sat down. Coach was smiling from ear to ear, as if he had heard something wonderful.

“If you’re gazing at glory, that’s good,” I reassured him. “We’ll all be okay if you go on ahead. We’ll be joining you soon enough.”

As soon as I spoke those words, Coach’s breathing changed. It wasn’t much longer before I sensed the parting of the veil between earth and heaven, like someone opening a door on a spring day, and Coach stepped ever so gently into eternity.

Had I left the nursing home when I planned to, I would have missed saying bon voyage to Coach. In that moment, I was reminded of the importance of keeping our eyes on God and being responsive to the nudge of the Holy Spirit.

TODAY’S RX

You are part of God’s unfolding story. Take a moment today to tell someone what he is doing in your life.

Father, what a comfort it is to know that every day of my life is recorded in your book. Help me to use my days wisely and to continue telling your story to the world.