I knew you'd come!

It was after 6 AM and the sun was just painting the sky with hues of pink. My father was hospitalized after a stroke and since I worked for the hospital, I would look in on him before I began my day.

I checked on him at noon, and as my day ended, I hurried home to prepare dinner for my family.  As I sat at the kitchen table, I glanced at my watch. It was now 6:30 pm and I suddenly felt the urgency to leap from the table and head to the hospital sooner than my usual evening visit. 
Have you ever had that sudden feeling deep inside that "something" was wrong?" 

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Deep within me, there was an urgency.  "MOVE, move now he needs you."
I know now the Holy Spirit within me was urging me to get up and move.  Prayer was a vital part of my daily spiritual strength as I went through caring for my father during this time.  It was only through this spiritual strength that I was able to find the physical strength day to day. 

My husband was startled by my sudden action to jump up out of my chair, grab the car keys and head for the car.  I was trying to explain as I quickly got in the car and he jumped in the passenger seat. 

Pulling into the ER entrance, I ran up to the 4th floor and down to my father's room and was met with a closed door.  Closed? As I opened the door a dark room met me.
Why was the door closed?  Why was the room dark?

Dad?  Dad, are you okay?  I could hear deep struggling breath sounds as my hand reached for the light switch. The light revealed my father's weakened body slouched down against the bed rail and his eye's gazing up at me.

As I ran to his side he softly and breathlessly said, “I knew you'd come. I knew it.” 
​My heart felt like it had dropped to my feet. 
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• Seeing he was pale and had shortness of breath, I called for the nurse to get oxygen on him quickly.    
• She moved with no urgency, but instead began questioning my reasoning. 
  

My father stated he had pressed the button for the nurse several times and when she did come, she had gave him "a pill," turned off the light and closed the door.
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I assume he pressed the call button one too many times and an incompetent nurse who did not recognize the symptoms of congestive heart failure, gave him a sedative, closed the door and left him alone in the darkness. Now he found himself struggling for breath. 

How could someone not realize that this man needed help! 
Everyone was scurrying and I called his doctor who was in the ER at the time. 
The head nurse had not recognized the signs and symptoms of a man in distress. 

One month later, my father left this world behind for his heavenly home.  
To this day I often remember his words, “I knew you'd come.” 

Our loved ones can depend on us when they are helpless.
Our loved ones can depend on us for protection. 
Our loved ones know we will be there for them. 

Imagine for a moment that you are that helpless patient in a hospital bed.

You are calling for help.
You wait for someone to come help you. 
You wait for someone to push open the door. 
You need someone to intercede on your behalf.

When will that person come?
How much longer can you wait? 
 The fear of death seems to surround you. 
Well fear not, for help does come!

Praise God our help and rescue is found in Christ. 
He has come!  
So as you gather around the table on Thanksgiving day, 
remember that we have SO much to be thankful for in the 
saving grace that is freely given for our sin. 

May  we be bold and active to move with urgency and tell others of 
the One who is there to help and save us from eternal darkness. 

We all are helpless and dying and He has come to save us.
What love is this!   We all now can say with joy, “I knew You'd come!”

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​Oh, but wait, He has promised to return one day –
He will return as the eternal KING of KINGS
and LORD of LORDS. (Rev. 1:12-16)

And we will say, “I knew You'd come!” 
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