True Church

Lifting up my arm in agony, I stared down in an attempt to find the source of my pain. Swollen, red flesh was under my arm. Stinging knots had developed under my skin. My face, now covered in a rashy, swollen mess, caused my heart to sink. Unfortunately, my condition had not gotten any better, and a Dr. was needed.

Slowly walking into the hospital ER, my body weakened by surgery, I hoped that this visit would end quickly. Hours passed by like long days, and my heart grew weary. However, out of nowhere, my mother and I began to talk to a man and woman. We spoke about the hours we'd spent waiting: the man had been there for about 4 hours, the woman for 2 days. The woman stood up into a weakened stance, her eyes drooping. "Will you watch my stuff?" she asked. All three of us did: my mother, the man, and I. While she was gone, we spent the time talking of our reason for coming. The man, an attractive fifty year old, spoke of his recent fall into poverty. His family, once always wealthy, was impoverished. He and his brothers all had to save up to pay for his fathers cancer treatments. Though the conversations delved into what sounded like deep despair, a light hearted connection was building. Before the lady had come back, we had discovered that his back was broken, but he had a great sense of humor!

I told him of my brain surgery, growing excited when I began to share how blessed I felt...how favored by God I was! I told him how I had been lead by God to read Job. God was in me to count my infirmity as a blessing! I had grown so close to God. "I just feel favored," I told him. He looked at me, eyes filled with tears. He told me(paraphrasing): "I was so angry this morning. I told my dad that I was going to have to come here and wait for hours. I told him how miserable I would be. But, it's been hours...and you and your mother......I haven't heard you complain once. You are such a blessing-" he began to weep. "I'm so sorry. It's just...you are a blessing." My heart overfills with blessings just remembering his blue eyes, filled with tears. "Girl, you are favored! Maybe you could pray for me sometime," he spoke with sincerity in his eyes, though his voice carried self-protecting humor.

Looking in his eyes, I asked, "Can I pray for you now?" He stared shocked...and it breaks my heart, because he looked honored. He looked honored to have me pray for him. I walked over, held his hand, and prayed.

When I had walked back to my seat, he told me, heart in his throat, "I'll never forget you." 

The truth is, I will never forget him. I will never forget the ten plus hours we all spent together. I'll never forget our conversations about life, love, money, and pain. I will never forget how a man, barely able to walk due to a back injury, offered to walk across the street to go buy us some McDonalds. I will never forget his tears, the feeling in those times. When strangers lifted eachother up in prayer, poured out their hearts and fears, shared their pain...served eachother. I will always remember the first time that I saw Christ's church as it was truly meant to be.