Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

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Read

Psalm 31:1-4 (NRSV)

In you, O LORD, I seek refuge;
do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
Incline your ear to me;
rescue me speedily.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a strong fortress to save me.

You are indeed my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
take me out of the net that is hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.

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Reflect

The world beats you up. I just came from a home where we worked a code (did CPR, applied a cardiac monitor, intubated, gave medications) on a 54-year-old woman who collapsed in front of her 15-year-old daughter. The daughter was attempting to do chest compressions when we arrived. She stayed, and even held the bag for us after we got the I.V. started. We never got any response from her mom, no electrical activity in the heart at all. After 30 minutes of intervention attempts, the physician who was our med control ordered us to cease efforts. We picked up the debris, the wrappers and packaging for the equipment and meds we had ripped open during the code, and covered the woman with a sheet.

While we waited for the justice of the peace to arrive and do the legal work, I talked to the girl and her dad. I told her that this was something a 15-year-old girl should not have to see, that she would need someone to talk to, and asked her if she had a pastor. A look of confusion came to her for a moment, and she mentioned the name of a church after a little hesitation, but it was clear that she did not have a pastoral relationship with anyone. Life had just pounded her, and she did not have a rock of refuge, no strong fortress. She seemed like a strong enough kid to handle the emotional trauma of seeing her mother die, but I would have felt better if she’d had a pastor to help her through the questions she will be asking about what happened to her mother after she died. I wish she’d had a rock of refuge to go to for a while.

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Pray

Lord, it is so nice to know that we have you to flee to when the world beats us up, that you are willing to be our strong fortress, our hiding place. Please be kind to that girl, it’s not her fault she hasn’t been brought to you. Thank you for the mercy you show to all of us. I ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Go with God.