What I've Been Doing
Sorry for the silence here. Tuesday I arranged my schedule to take a trip to see my in-laws and Marjorie's uncle, who has suffered a heart attack, but due to his MS is unable to have surgery to repair the blockages. Then a member landed in the ICU with a DNR in place. She defied expectations by re-starting her heart herself at least a dozen times since then. I was torn between staying and going. Then another member--the patriarch of the congregation--was placed on hospice care on Friday. Staying here seemed to be the right choice.
The best part of being a pastor is standing at the bedside of one who is dying. Everything is stripped away and that remains is the Gospel. It is a privilege telling others about the merciful God they are about to meet, who is waiting for them with open arms. Laying on hands, giving absolution, commending them to the care of the holy angels, sharing with them the hope that casts out fear--this is the best part of the job.
I will be doing that more this week. Pray for God's servants Dorothy and Robert.
1 comments :
We prayed for Robert yesterday here, and I'll add Dorothy to my prayers for this week - and you as well.
I find that the hospital is one of the places where I as a Pastor am most comfortable - because then all the. . . stuff . . . that comes up with being a pastor in modern American culture is gone and we simply get to be true and honest preachers of the Word.
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