We have all been there and it is not a place we make reservations too as a relaxing getaway. Welcome to the hospital.
Part of the duties of a pastor is sitting beside someone that has a view just like this. We offer words encouragement, try to bring a laugh or two and offer up a prayer for the person seeking treatment. The hard part is the stories we are told and the fear in some people’s lives when it comes to a hospital stay.
So, we pray for the doctors and the nurses that will be offering care, guidance for the surgeons that they have a successful surgery and to ease the anxiety of the person while we hold their hand.
I have held hands with children and elderly adults. I have held hands in celebration of new life with the birth of a child. I have held hands with the dying. I have held hands with doctors before surgery. I have held hands with families as they say their goodbyes.
What I have found most helpful though is not the words I spoke in the prayer it was the holding of the hand or touch of a hand on a shoulder. It says I am here for you; you are not alone, and you matter.
A simple gesture can make a huge difference. So next time your view is like this please let me know. Do not assume someone told me. Do not rob me of the honor to hold your hand and lift you up in prayer.
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