Blessed Are Those...

Hospitals are no fun.

Really...there's nothing fun about them, is there?

But through Kristen's recent health woes, I realized something about myself.

I need to walk through hospitals.


You see, this where pastors and preachers have a leg up on those of us who don't make it a habit to visit the sick. And I don't, by the way. I don't visit the sick.

I know it's something I should do. It's something that God wants me to do. But I don't. There are a lot of reasons why, but none of them are any good.

But as I recently walked that same stretch of hallway to the elevator on the way to Kristen's room, I noticed stuff. I noticed the bleary-eyed families in the ICU waiting area. I noticed the open room doors in the middle of the day, revealing people in the hospital, all alone, with no one beside them. I noticed the hundreds of hospital staff walking back and forth, some quickly, as if to help. And others slowly, as if it didn't matter.

I've been praying for these people as I pass them, and it's been good for me. It's been good to get out of myself and try to talk to God about people and situations I don't know. It's hard to pray those prayers, but I'm trying. I'm trying to listen to God as I pray, asking Him for the words; asking Him what it is that family or old lady or lab technician needs.

I'd like to start walking through these places more often. I need to walk through and interceding for these strangers because they need it and I can do it. I don't know that I really need any other reasons.

...Matthew 3:4