Friday, July 13, 2012

His will be done.

To say I experienced a sliver of heaven's joy tonight would be an understatement!! My heart literally feels like it's going to swell up with not only happiness, but true passion for the Lord's work and plan. My junior year of college is coming up, and at this point in our education, most students have an idea...or at least pretend... like they know where they're going in life. I've been plagued with questions time and time again throughout college as I've tried to piece together what life will look like once I graduate- will I get into Physician Assistant school the first go-around? Should I and will I need to work as a nurse or EMT first? Where will I live? Will I have 20 cats?! They say if you want to give God a good ole belly laugh, tell Him your plans. All I'm saying is that God must have side cramps from laughing so hard at all the ridiculous plans I've devised.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. "
Jeremiah 29:11

His faithful plan rang truer and louder than ever to me tonight though while working and shadowing at one of the local hospitals in the area. It was my second volunteer shift of the week in Cardiac Care, and needless to say I was tired after a long day of trying not to fall asleep studying my anatomy book. Honestly, the last thing I wanted to do was be surrounded by more terms I barely understood, but I felt a tug to pay attention tonight. The Lord stepped in when one of the nurses asked for my help in checking on a patient's tubes. Mid-check, it hit me that we weren't just working with a patient, but a person: someone with a life story, with family and friends, with hopes, dreams, fears, accomplishments, and failures. That patient didn't need another medical professional in there- they needed someone to look them in the eye to let them know that they mattered, that they were loved. I caught a glance at the patient's bedside table to see an open Bible to Psalm 91. God gave me the courage to ask about their favorite Psalm, and even in their few sentences, His love shone mighty and strong in their eyes. In that moment I understood how Jesus had compassion for the hurting, the lost, the sick, the lame, the hopeless, the unloved. He looked at them, and loved them. Jesus's compassion for people ran thicker than blood through his veins, constantly pouring out time and time again for their sake, even literally on a bloody Cross to die an unworthy death for us.  I want that compassion. I crave His compassion, because goodness knows I can't do anything on my own behalf. Trust me, it's not pretty.

Philippians 3:10 defines my heartbeat right now when the apostle Paul says,
 "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead...to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that I may experience the power of the resurrection."


His will be done,
Britta